Dangerous Business
by LittleKnux2008
Summary: The story of Liz Smith, the newest edition to the WWE roster, and daughter of Steve Austin. [Chapter 48 is up! R&R!]
1. Chapter I : Ambush

A/N:  Hey everyone!  This is my first wrestling story!  I hope you enjoy!  R/R!

Disclaimer:  I don't own anything, except Elizabeth Smith.

Note:  I need a profile of a character for a later chapter (if you guys think the story is good enough) that is mean.  If you want, write a profile on a review.  I'll have my sister pick out the winner, so you guys won't be mad at me!  Preferably female!  

Note 2:  Oh, and if you think this is an okay story, I need your opinions on a boyfriend for Elizabeth.  

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DANGEROUS BUSINESS

Chapter 1 – Temper

~STAPLES Arena~

~9:00P.M~

            Jeff Hardy glanced back at his cousin as he quietly stroked the paintbrush across his chest.  Blue and white swirls of color already were spread down his neck.

            "You know," murmured the brunette sitting on the bench behind him, "You really should be entitled to a discount at that Sherwin Williams store."

            "Ha, ha, ha.  Very funny," replied Jeff lightly.  He had long since grown accustomed to his cousin's sarcasm, but he was still getting used to having her around at…work.  Jeff knew his cousin was tough, but he still couldn't help but worry about her.  He slowly set the paintbrush on the bench and walked over to his younger cousin.  

            Wisps of thin, light brown hair that had strayed from the perfectly mussed bun on her head tickled her face as she stretched her legs out flexibly into the splits.  Her pale-jade eyes were narrowed and focused as she forced her body to align with her outstretched leg, no space between.  Looking up at Jeff, his cousin immediately withdrew from her stretching session and stared at him with a concerned look in his eyes.

            "We need to talk," he announced.  "Elizabeth…" His cousin stared at him and tilted her head slightly.  Jeff hardly ever called her Elizabeth.  It was usually one of her nicknames.  

            "Yeah?" she replied, sitting back on the bench, leaning her elbows into her legs as she stared into Jeff's green eyes intensely.  

            "I want you to be careful," he started.  Already, Jeff knew that he was skating on thin ice.  Liz wouldn't be too happy about him being concerned.  

            "I know!" Liz hissed.  She was getting annoyed with all these people telling her to be careful!  Like she didn't know how to take care of herself!

            "Not just in the ring, Knux," he murmured.  Liz lifted her head softly.  She was happy he was finally not using formalities-they always put her off-edge-, he was finally using her nickname.  But she was also concerned about what he said.  

            "What do you mean?" she demanded.  On the monitor in their dressing room, the theme to RAW played.  Absentmindedly, Liz turned it off.  

            "Be careful around Vince," warned Jeff.  "Ever since he stopped that General Manager thing…  Let's just say that he's been a little more vicious than usual.  Just…be careful."

            "What can happen, Jeff?  I signed the contract yesterday."  Liz sighed, and set her hand reassuringly on Jeff's shoulder.  "Hey, don't be worried.  I've always got you, Lita, and Matt to take care of me," she smiled mischievously and added, "And then I have all those friends in the back, and I don't know, maybe someone will be inclined to rescue me…" 

            Jeff smirked at her as she layered her words with sarcasm.  She smiled at him, and then turned the TV on again.  

            "Aren't you supposed to be facing Dreamer tonight?" she questioned.  

            "The messenger hasn't come yet," replied Jeff.  

            _Hmm…  _Liz stared at the TV. Vince stood in the ring, flapping his gums as usual.  The brunette leaned forward, her black, glittery nylon pants swooshing against the wooden bench.  

            "…I want to introduce the newest edition to our roster."  Liz jumped.  He was talking about her!  She leapt up, tugging at her top nervously.  On the front were flames, and only a few lines of fabric stretched across her back.  The top showed some inches of tan, flat, muscled stomach.  On the screen, Vince sighed as the crowed continued to boo him.  "Boo's!  I just signed a relative of the Hardys'!" The crowd seemed to diminish, debating whether to boo or cheer.  "Elizabeth Smith, come down here!" he cried. 

            "Go," Jeff urged his cousin.  She stared at the screen, glassy-eyed, before she leapt to attention.  

            "Bye," she whispered quickly and darted out the door, her boots slapping against the floor.  

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            Liz stepped through the curtains as her cousin's music played.  The audience clapped somewhat, still unsure what to make of her.  

            "Elizabeth," Vince started.  Chants of "Asshole!" struck up again from the audience.  

            Liz felt her stomach churning and felt like she was going to fall onto the steel ramp any second.  A black microphone started to slip through her sweaty hand as she replied to Vince, seemingly calmly, "Yeah, Vince?"  Vince frowned at the use of his first name.  Liz shrugged it off.  The contract was sighed, it wasn't like he would just all-out and fire her…would he?  She vaguely remembered her cousin's warning.  

            "Now," Vince said, clearly annoyed by the crowd's chants, "RVD, get your ass out here!"  Liz shifted uncomfortably.  What did RVD have to do with her?  The music struck.  Liz almost jumped as "fireworks" exploded around the area.  She stared at the guy who came out.  He, equally, gave her an odd look.  Liz watched as he lifted his thumbs and mouthed the letters: "R-V-D".  

            "RVD," Vince said.  "I'm aware that your tag team partner-" he smiled evilly, "Was recently taken out of action.  However, your match with the Dudleys still stands.  It has, however, been changed to a handicapped match."

            The brunette studied the superstar's reaction.  He just stared at Vince, as if this didn't affect him at all.  

            "Now, I come to you, Elizabeth.  You'll be replacing Kane's place in the Inter-gender handicapped match.  Batista will be joining the Dudleys team."

            Liz darted a quick glance at her new partner, and then stared at Vince in amazement.  Surely there had to be a stipulation…

            "If you and RVD lose, Elizabeth, your contract will be torn to shreds," he said.  Liz felt her fists curl up, her fingernails jutting into her palms.  "And, RVD, you'll be suspended without pay." The "Grand Mastermind" seemed to be thinking.  He added, "Matt, Jeff, and Lita are banned from ringside," he growled at Liz.  

            "You Son of a Bitch!" Liz hissed, forgetting that the mike was there.  Her anger carried her away.  She hardly noticed the fans beginning to cheer.  "How many more damned stipulations can you think up of so your cronies can win the matches?  Oh wait – how about no high kicks?" She gasped sarcastically, "And maybe-for once-Batista might win a match fair and square!"  Vince stared at her, a shocked look on his face.  The fans, however, were on their feet.  They were screaming at something behind her.  

            Liz turned around, and collided with a chair.  She turned her body as she fell onto the steel, making her hands brace her for impact.  Her head spun crazily.  She rolled herself to face the top of the stage.  

            RVD kicked the chair out of Batista's hands and they started fighting.  Liz grimaced as Batista's friends – HHH, Flair, and Randy – ran from the curtain and aided Batista as Stone Cold Steve Austin started to attack Batista as soon as RVD stumbled down to the steel.  At once, RVD leapt up and tried to defend himself against Flair and Randy.  Bruised from Batista and in a handicapped situation, RVD was not faring so well.  

            Meanwhile, Austin delivered the Stone Cold Stunner to Batista, and he went down with a thud.  HHH thus started to attack him.  

            Now, her gaze settled on the chair, inches away from her face.  She looked back quickly at RVD as she edged closer to the chair, trying to dull the immense pain in the back of her head.  

            Then she saw something that she overlooked.  A sledgehammer had lain, forgotten by its carrier, on the ramp.  Randy picked it up and headed toward RVD.  

            That was all she needed.  With a furious shove, Liz stood up and grasped the chair firmly, making her legs race toward Randy.

            Randy lifted the sledgehammer as Flair held the now-weak RVD back.  

            Liz grasped the chair tighter, brought it back, and swung it smoothly into the back of Randy's head with all the strength she could muster.  Blood rapidly formed at the back of his head.  

            She smiled as his body hit the floor.  It gave her an odd satisfaction, seeing him go down like that, because of her.  Jerking back to the present, she noticed that Flair had left go of RVD and was headed toward her.  She advanced toward him.

            But her instinct told her something wasn't right.  Flair seemed to be holding back for some reason.  In a second, she realized, after HHH slammed his fist into the back of her head, right where Batista's chair shot had gone.  

            This time, she slammed uncontrollably into the steel floor.  The pain in her skull seemed to cripple her as the kicks slammed into her sides, each one calculated and painful.  She did notice that HHH had gone from kicking her.  Suddenly, she heard a second crack of a chair, and she knew why, as she glanced up.  RVD had gotten to his feet again, and had struggled toward HHH.  

            She also got a chance of Stone Cold.  Evidently, a chair had struck him earlier, only she hadn't heard it.  But know he was on his feet, but so was a livid Batista.  

            Finally, she managed to stand up.  Flair's punches flew at her fast, but she blocked most of them never giving him an opening to take advantage of.  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Randy pick up the sledgehammer and give it to HHH as he went to deal with Stone Cold.  Liz knew what she had to do.  

            She made a sluggish punch to Flair, which he dodged, and gave her a uppercut.  She let the punches come, pretending to make feeble attempts to dodge them.  Finally, she made her way to the ground, via a suplex.  It hurt more than she'd thought; her beaten head bashing against the hard steel.  Flair grasped her arms and held her back loosely as HHH prepared to swing for her with the sledgehammer.              

            Liz acted quickly.  She stretched her arms out, shoving her small frame under Flair, in the same time pushing Flair onto her back.  Grasping his arms, she flipped him where she had been.  

            As it all happened in a few seconds, HHH never saw it coming.  The sledgehammer continued on its path, and smashed into Flair's rib cage.  

            Liz looked up curiously up the ramp, to the stage.  Batista, Randy, and RVD were lying on it, scattered around.  

            Someone spun HHH around.  He turned, and Stone Cold stunned him.  HHH went down like a sack of potatoes.  

            Suddenly, his ice-cold gaze shifted to Liz.  She stared back at him and extended her hand, thinking that he came to help them out.  

            Austin grabbed her hand and jerked her over the fallen body of HHH, slamming his foot into her gut, then delivered the Stone Cold Stunner.  

            Liz felt her head thwack the floor once more, and then she gave away to darkness, the echoing voices of J.R and King blurring into a mess.

            "That was sick, J.R…" 

            "Just look at all that carnage…"

            The last thing Liz remembered was a dazzling display of bursts of light inside her eyelids, and then the lights went off.

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A/N:  Do you think that was good?  Okay?  Horrible?  Please tell me, and review!  Please!  Oh, and in case you guys like it enough for me to make another chapter, I'm not really all that familiar with handicapped matches.  Aren't they just like tag-team, only with more people on one team?


	2. Chapter II : In the Line of Duty

A/N:  Thank you to all of the reviewers!  (2 so far, but I hope more people will review by the time I finish this!)  Here's the second chapter.  Hope you guys like it!  Please review!

Disclaimer:  1st chapter

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DANGEROUS BUSINESS

Chapter 2 – Welcome Party

            Liz weakly tried to open her eyes.  The light burned her eyes, and she quickly shut them.  Her head throbbed as she tried to sit up.  Someone pushed her gently down.  Annoyed, she forced her eyes to open.  A concerned doctor's face loomed over her, but then disappeared.  Carefully, she watched the white-haired doctor briskly walk across the room.  Her palms slapped against the hard "bed".  She pushed her back up against the wall and looked around, wincing at the pain in her head.

            Three "beds" like hers were lined up against the wall, a considerable distance away from each other.  In front of her, there was a small metal table, on which RVD balanced cautiously.  Bandages encircled his ribs, and a purple bruise had formed on the side of his face.  

            "You okay?" he asked.  

            "I'm not dead yet," she replied.  "You?"

            "Good," replied Rob. 

            "Except for a pair of bruised ribs you are," the doctor corrected RVD smoothly, earning an eye-roll.  The doctor pulled out a small light and flashed it into Liz's eyes.  Immediately, the pain in her head seemed to return.  She swatted the light away and held her head as it bounced away.  

            "You've got a mild concussion and photosensitivity," informed the doctor, "You'll be sore for awhile because of those bruises, too."

            "Can I wrestle?" she questioned.  The doctor looked at her hopeful face and sighed, debating what to say.  

            "You should take some rest, but it's your choice.  Be careful of your head, though, if you wrestle tonight.  I daresay Mr. Mahon postponed your match.

            "He didn't," replied Rob quietly.  The doctor sighed angrily at Mr. Mahon's doings.

            "That man will be the death of us all," he murmured, giving Liz and Rob sheets to fill out.  "Give these back to me by the end of RAW."  They nodded, stood up, and walked out the door.

            As they walked to their locker rooms, the brunette asked, "Did Jeff have his match?"

            "He should be just coming out," replied Rob, after thinking for a moment.  "He waited for you for awhile, but he had to go do his match."

            "Oh," replied Liz, staring at the ceiling slightly.  "Have any clue where our match will be?"

            "I think it's the second to last," said Rob.  

            "All right.  I have to talk with Jeff for a bit before our match, so see ya later."

            "Bye," replied RVD as he continued on his way.  

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            "Jeff!" Liz shouted as he walked out of the curtains that led to the ramp.  "How'd it go?" she narrowed her eyes at Jeff's disheveled state, then smirked.  "You told me that wasn't a hardcore match."

            "Didn't want you to worry," replied Jeff.  "I won, by the way."

            "Congratulations, flyboy.  Care to explain why I would worry about you in a hardcore match?"

            Jeff stared down at his cousin and shook his head lightly.  "You're something else," he murmured quietly.  

            "Well, something else has to get ready for a match," replied Liz lightly.  "I'm going to go warm-up, so I'll talk to you when the match is over."

            "Mahon didn't call off the match?" cried Jeff.

            "No, he didn't.  And it's absolutely fine," she said as Jeff opened his mouth, "I'm fit to wrestle, Jeff.  And that's exactly what I'm going to do."

            "What do you have, anyway?  A concussion, at least!  Me and Matt can hardly beat the Dudleys when we're in perfect health!  And you and Rob have to deal with Batista too!"

            "Calm down Jeff," growled Liz quietly.

            "And HHH will probably be at ringside instead of Flair, because of what you did to Flair," Jeff continued to ramble.  Liz quickly lost her temper.

            "Jeff, just shut up!  I can handle them, okay?  And HHH isn't probably going to be out there, he has a match with Austin tonight, I checked the roster, it'll just be Randy Orton.  And in case you don't remember, he's not doing to good from the start of RAW."

            "Listen-" interrupted Jeff.            

            "No!" hissed Liz.  There was an awkward silence, and then she said, less angrily, "I'm going to go warm-up now Jeff.  I'll talk to you after the match."

            "If you make it through the match," Jeff murmured at Liz's retreating form.  

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            Liz waited behind the curtains, breathing faster than usual.  She was extremely nervous, but simply shook her head as her new song blared from the speakers.  With one glance behind her, she stepped out.  _No turning back now_, she thought warily.

            "Forfeit the game/Before somebody else takes you out of the frame/Puts your name to shame/Cover up your face / You can't run the race/The pace is too fast / You just won't last."

            As Liz stepped out, several cheers went up.  _What a chair shot can do_, thought Liz as she held up the "Hardy sign" and waited in front of the ring.  Batista and the Dudleys were already in the ring, staring her down.  "One of a Kind" blared through the speakers, and the fans roared in happiness.  A slight smile appeared on Liz's face at the crowd's reaction as RVD strolled into the ring, followed by Liz. 

            Apparently, the others wanted to start a match fair and square.  She briefly discussed the match with RVD.  Bubba Ray stood on the other team as the others stepped behind the ropes.  True to Jeff's word, HHH stood by the ring.  Liz sighed and stepped behind the ropes after much persuading by Rob.  

            The two started up by locking up.  Bubba caught RVD in a headlock, but Rob quickly countered.  As they stood up, Rob threw a kick at Bubba, who caught his foot expertly.  Rob spun and kicked him in the jaw.  He continued his assault on Bubba, Liz cheering him on, until Bubba got the upper hand.  As he whipped Rob into the ropes, he tagged in D'von.  

            "3-D!" the crowd chanted, even though they appeared disgusted that the Dudleys just 3-Ded one of their favorites.  

            Liz stepped on the ropes, extending one hand to Rob, who lay a few feet away, and the other pounding the turnbuckle.  She clenched her teeth as D'von picked Rob up by his hair.

            "You want in?" he taunted, and picked up Rob for a slam.  In a few minutes, Rob had gotten a kick in, and both D'von and Rob were down.

            "C'mon Rob!" cried Liz, extending her arm further as he crawled to the corner.  Just as D'von tagged in Bubba-again-Rob hit her hand.  Liz dashed through the ropes and stared at Bubba.  He grasped her forearm and whipped her into the ropes.  Liz threw her momentum into a handspring, and then dropkicked Bubba, who fell to the mat. She grasped his rather large head and pulled him up and tried to push him into the turnbuckle, but ended up going there herself.  Bubba ran forward and clotheslined her before she could even get her foot up to defend herself.  Bubba's large hands yanked her up and threw her back into the turnbuckles, her injured head smacking it painfully. Which was, exactly, the point.  From the throw, Liz was on her back as Bubba lifted her up and delivered a backbreaker and went for the cover.

            1…2…  Liz threw her shoulder up and heard the vague sound of the fans cheering.  Bubba growled and jerked her up unto his shoulders.  She punched his head in a frantic attempt to get out of his grasp, but the mat came up to meet her back…hard.  Bubba held her shoulders to the mat as the ref counted.

            1…2…his arm raised for the three count but Liz twisted out of Bubba's grip and attempted to crawl toward Rob.  Bubba grasped her ankle and yanked her back.  Liz rolled over and snapped her boot into Bubba's face.  He stumbled back, but came back angrier.  

            "This young lady is being man-handled by Bubba Ray Dudley," the announcer's words echoed through Liz's head, giving into her temper as Bubba gave her a sidewalk slam, and then tagged in Batista.  Liz was hardly aware of Rob shouting at her to tag him in as Batista slammed his boot into her head repeatedly.  He shoved her into the ropes.  Rob dashed through the ropes and managed to kick Batista in the face as the ref pulled him away.  As Liz hit the ropes, HHH grabbed her foot and her body snapped to meet the mat, once again.  HHH pulled her out of the ring, as the ref was being distracted by Rob and now Batista.  HHH grasped her arms backward and gave her the Pedigree on the unpadded floor, and rolled her back into the ring.  Batista picked her up and suplexed her.  

            1…2…the ref's hand was an inch away from the mat before Liz kicked out.  She struggled to her feet and Batista attacked her with a fury of punches.  But this time, she refused to go down.  Then he did what she wanted.  As her back bounced against the now-familiar ropes, Liz gave Batista the Hurricarana.  

            1…almost 2 but Batista literally threw her off him. Liz was able to tag Rob in.  Soon, though, Rob had fallen to a backbreaker. 

       That was when the music hit.  The sound of breaking glass echoed through the arena, distracting HHH and Batista.  Rob leapt up and rolled Batista up.

            1…2…3!  Rob's music echoed through the ring and Liz ran in the ring, to be attacked by Bubba Ray and D'von.  As she fell, she saw Batista completely destroying Rob.  HHH was simply in the ring, smirking at Rob and Liz, occasionally attacking Rob.  Liz spit out the blood seeping into her mouth as Bubba pushed D'von.  Her eyes widened.

            "D'Von!" he cried, and his partner turned around.  "GET THE TABLES!"  D'von nodded and slid out of the ring as Stone Cold strolled toward the ring.  He slid the table into the ring and Bubba set it up near the turnbuckle.  D'von threw Liz some kicks as she struggled to get up.  Bubba climbed up and sat on the turnbuckle.  Liz heard the crack of the steel chair as it slammed into Rob's bruised ribs.  She struggled to move as Bubba set up to powerbomb her…through the table.  But she'd be headed face-first through the table, the way Bubba had it.  Suddenly, Stone Cold slipped into the ring and attacked HHH and gave him the Stone Cold Stunner.  He turned to Batista and repeated his tactics.  He turned to the frozen Dudleys.  His eyes met with Liz's.  A slow smirk spread through his face as he slid out of the ring, leaving the Dudleys to themselves.  Batista and HHH rolled out of the ring.  

            Bubba leapt down, slamming Liz into the table.  Liz felt the impact on her face, arms, chest, and ribs.  The Dudleys advanced toward her once again when another familiar music hit.  

            Edge came running out, and Stone Cold only gave him a death glare as he jogged to the ring.  The Dudleys fled reasonably and glared at him.  The blonde Canadian turned and glanced at Rob.  RVD had crawled over to Liz, clutching his ribs.  Edge went to her side, also.  

            Weakly, Liz looked up at Edge.  "Hey, Adam," she croaked, "Long time no see." 

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A/N:  Hope you liked it.  Please R/R!


	3. Chapter III : Crossroads

A/N:  Hey everyone!  Thank you for all of the reviews!  Please keep them coming!

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Dangerous Business

Chapter 3 – F5

~Smackdown!

~8:00

          "Sure you'll be okay to wrestle tonight, Smithy?" Elizabeth glared up at Edge, an irritated look on her face.

          "Gee," she said sarcastically, "Maybe three days of recovery won't be enough…"

          "I wasn't joking."

          "I was," she replied, staring up at Edge.  A comfortable silence passed as they continued walking down the hall.

          "You really shouldn't have insulted Mr. McMahon on RAW," he said.  Liz sighed.  

          "I count you being the 60th person who's said that," she replied irritatingly.  She decided to change the subject.  "Got a match tonight?"

          "Not yet," he replied, "McMahon said he was making one."

          "Oh.  I don't have one either," she replied, yawning quietly as Edge reached his room.  

          "Bye."

          "Bye," replied Liz as she continued walking.  She continued, uninterrupted, for a short time until someone walked up to her.  She eyed him warily.  

          Liz remembered his name and face from the nights she had watched wrestling on TV.  Chris Jericho, she remembered, had long since turned into an egotistical freak.

          "Can I help you?" she asked as Jericho's eyes roamed over her body.  Her mood quickly soured.  She snapped in front of her face and Jericho's head snapped up.  "My face is here," she growled.  

          "Care to meet me after Smackdown?" he asked.  Liz almost gagged in his face, but then noticed the camera.

          "I'd rather take a bath in hot tar," she replied, "Naked."  Jericho narrowed his eyes in ridicule as she stalked off.  The brunette ran her hand through her wispy hair as she walked into Jeff's room.  Looking around, she saw that the aforementioned wasn't there.  Sighing, she laid down on the couch.  She snuggled against the leather, ready to give into her lost sleep when the phone rang shrilly.  Groaning, she sat up and snatched the phone.

          "What do you want?" she snapped.  

          "Elizabeth?" the other voice said warily.  Liz sighed, and replied in a more human voice.

          "Yeah, it's me mom."

          "You sounded…different," her mother said.  Liz sighed quietly and grasped a bottle of painkillers off of the table and struggled to open the lid.  

          "Oh," she said, digging her thumb into the bottle.  It didn't pop off.

          "I called to talk to you about your father."  The bottle cap flew off and Liz silently opened it, sucking her sore thumb as she tipped the bottle.  

          "What about the bastard?" she replied.  Her vocabulary always seemed to be colorful when dealing with her father.  Several blue tablets spilt into and off of her hand, scattering to the floor.

          "Honey…" murmured her mother.  Liz slid off of the couch and began to pick up the tablets.  "…He's in the WWE."  Liz jerked her head up, and it slammed against the wooden coffee table.  A stream of swears spilt from her mouth as she cradled her head.  "Elizabeth, are you all right?" her mother's voice asked from the phone that lay on the floor.  Hastily, she picked it up and said one word.

          "Who?" she replied, anger seeping through her veins.  She could almost imagine her mother over the phone, pursing her lips.  "Who was the jackass?"

          "He probably had a good reason to leave," her mother started to reason.

          "God, mom!  How long are you going to defend him?  He abandoned you and me when I was what-4 or 5?  What kind of a man does that?" she cried.  "Now who the hell is it?"

          Her mother sighed over the phone-a rush of static in Liz's ear.  "Steve Austin."

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          Rob knocked on the Hardy door and waited for a response.  He heard a loud thud echo through the room, and he creaked the door open.  

          "Liz?" he said, spotting the brunette sitting upright on the couch.  He walked forward and sat on the armchair.  He opened his mouth to tell her why he was here, but then he noticed her distant gaze.

          "Hello?" he asked, waving his hand in front of her face.  "What's up?"  Liz jerked back to reality, and noticed him.

          "Hi," she mumbled, slowly jerking her gaze to meet his.  

          "Hi," replied Rob slowly.  

          "What's up?" she said, then rephrased it, "Why'd you come?"

          "Mr. McMahon told me to tell you about your match tonight," Rob answered, watching her face closely for any type of reaction.  "It's a tag-team match.  You and Edge."

          "Versus who?" replied Liz stonily.  

          "Brock Lesner and Victoria," replied Rob.  Liz simply nodded.

          "You have a match?" she asked.

          "Yeah," replied Rob, surprised by the question, "Against Jericho."  

          "Kick him in the balls for me, would you?" requested Liz, an insolent smile spreading across her face.

          "What'd he do?" questioned Rob.  

          "He asked me to meet him in his hotel room after Smackdown," replied Liz.  She smacked the top back on a bottle of Advil and slipped a couple down her throat.  

          "What'd you say?" he asked, keeping his voice strangely neutral. 

          "I said that I'd rather take a bath in hot tar naked," replied Liz, earning a chuckle from RVD.  She sighed heavily and stood up, "I'd better tell Adam about the match," she said.  Rob saw her wince slightly as she stood up.

          "You're back still hurting?"

"61st," was all Liz mumbled as she walked out.  RVD shrugged quietly as he stood in the hall, watching her leave.

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          Liz walked down the ramp, smiling happily at the cheers that rose up.  She listened to J.R and the King's comments as she slid into the ring.

          "There, JR, is a very talented woman," said the King.  

          "I can't help but agree with you on that King, but what happens if she gets in the ring with Lesner?"

          Liz frowned at the question, but not because she was afraid of being in the ring with him, because she wouldn't mind.  But Edge had made her promise to tag him in whenever Lesner became the legal man.  She made a face at him as JR said that and Edge rolled his eyes.  

          As if on cue, Brock Lesner came to the ring.  He glared at Liz as he walked.  She arched an eyebrow and stared right back, undaunted by his size as she leant casually against the ropes.  She stared up at the ramp as Victoria strolled down, accompanied by her boyfriend, Steven Richards.  Liz almost laughed as she stared at Victoria's video. 

          Victoria and Lesner argued for several seconds, but Victoria and Liz started the match out. 

          Victoria wasn't like Bubba Ray, Liz noted as they wrestled, she came with her attacks quickly, but didn't take the time to put too much power into them.  Liz punched her in the jaw at the chance.  Victoria stumbled back, and she tossed her against the ropes, hitting the other ropes.  As they neared each other, Liz balled her fists and slammed them into Victoria's head.  She picked Victoria up and started to suplex her, suspending her vertically for awhile before the dull pain in her back started to bother her, and she slammed Victoria into the ground.  Immediately she picked Victoria up and grasped her head and gave her a D.D.T.  Liz went for the cover.

          1…2…Victoria just kicked out.  Growling, Liz pulled her to a sitting position.  She yanked Victoria's arms back – twisting them in the process – and pushed her foot into Victoria's back, and kept pushing.  The ref was in front of Victoria, asking her if she gave up.  After she shook her head, Liz pushed further.  She really didn't hate – or like – Victoria, but if she wouldn't give up then she'd have to go harder – even if she did dislocate her arm in the process.  Lesner stepped in quickly and broke up the submission move.  The ref got up and tried to push Lesner back into the corner.  Using this as a distraction, Steven slipped in – Victoria's title in hand – and slammed it into the back of Liz's head and slipped out the other side.  By the time the ref got Lesner back into the corner, Victoria had gone for the pin.

          1…2…Liz kicked out.  Her head throbbed from the title shot.  The two women continued to go at it – Victoria usually at an advantage, curtsey of Richards – until Liz managed to tag Edge in.  Victoria tagged in Lesner.  

          For a while, it appeared that Edge had the upper hand.  He punched Lesner, gave him a spear, and even suplexed him – but Lesner fought back with amazing strength.  Edge gained control of the situation in a minute or so, but Richards distracted the ref while Lesner gave Edge a low blow and retained control.  Growling, Liz leapt off the apron and collided into Richards.  She picked up the fallen title and – as soon as Richards stood – slammed it into his head.  Satisfied, she returned to her respective place.  

          Lesner was now carrying Edge around like a rag doll.  He tossed Edge into Liz's turnbuckle.  Liz vaguely remembered her promise to Edge that she wouldn't go into the ring if Lesner were the legal man.  She glanced down at her friend worriedly .  He was hurt badly.  

Without a second thought, she slapped his shoulder – a tag to the ref – and stepped in the ring.  Lesner looked astounded.  She smirked at him, and then smiled to herself.  Bandages were wrapped around his ribs from some other match.  

          "Did Elizabeth just tag herself into there?" asked a dumbfounded JR.

          She really didn't want to hurt him that bad.  But, it probably was her only chance at beating the beast.  Lesner didn't go to tag Victoria.  

          "JR, this looks bad," said a concerned King.

          "Why isn't Lesner going for the tag?"

          Brock narrowed his blue eyes at Liz.  She glared back, lining her body parallel to his.  He studied her for a second.

          "Bring it on," Liz hissed.  Brock charged forward.  He immediately slammed his fists into her face and then tossed her into the ropes.  She bounced back and – for once – was grateful that she was a bit smaller than average.  Liz slipped through Brock's legs and slammed her foot into his injured rib.  She continued her assault on his ribs until he grabbed her by the throat and tossed her into the turnbuckle.  Brock lifted her over his shoulder easily and gave her a side-walk slam.  He relentlessly picked her up and delivered the F5.

          Liz felt the ground coming up to met her once again.  She vaguely felt the pressure on her shoulders.  The world seemed blurry.  The ref's tapping vibrated the mat, sending a shock of pain through it.

          1…Liz mentally shook herself.  She was going to lose if she didn't do anything!  2…  Brock's arm was still too strong against her shoulders.  The brunette jerked her head forward as the ref raised his arm and bit Brock on the hand…hard.  He jerked his arm away, breaking the count.  As he realized what he just did, his face contorted with fury.

          _Oops, _Liz thought.  Brock continued to manhandle her.  He had no intention to tag in Victoria, Liz realized unhopefully.  She couldn't reach a tag to Edge, even though he jumped in every now and then to give her a possible advantage, but as soon as she got the upper hand, Brock seemed to clothesline her.  

          Brock glared down at the brunette at his feet.  What made her keep going?  He had already delivered his finishing move – twice! – yet she still managed to kick out, even fight back.  He narrowed his eyes down at her.  She smirked back at him and mouthed the words, 'Quitting already?'.  He growled and bent down to yank her up again.  

          Liz slammed her foot into his face as he bent down.  From there, she attempted to tag Edge.  Her neck, back, arms, everything, hurt like a sledgehammer had attacked it.  It probably didn't help that she kept taunting him when she had the chance to, but she'd be damned if she didn't get something in besides a few kicks and punches here and there.  

          Brock caught her foot and twisted it, sending her body twisting to the mat with it.  Still, her hand reached to Edge's.  Brock grabbed her by the hair and dragged her to her feet.  He was going to end this match soon.  He easily lifted Liz – what did she weigh anyway, she was too damn light too be a wrestler! – and held her up there, one hand on her throat, the other on her knees.  He walked to the ropes and threw her over, smiling as she went flying.

          Liz's lower and most of her upper back slammed against the barricade, but her neck snapped backward painfully.  She curled up, her eyes narrowing in immense pain, but she refused to let her eyes even begin to water.  The brunette didn't notice Edge being beat away from her side.

          As Brock fought with an angry Edge on the outside with the ref telling Edge to go back to the apron and Brock to go deal with the legal opponent, Richards and Victoria approached the vulnerable brunette.  Victoria yanked her to her feet to receive a high kick from Richards.  As soon as she went down, she was up on Victoria's shoulders, being delivered Widow's Peak.

          "Somebody needs to go help that girl out!" said King worriedly from their new Smackdown position by the ramp that had been made to keep like RAW.  The replay of Brock throwing her over the ropes played on the TitanTron. 

          "She might've broken her neck right there, King," announced JR, staring down at the sickening scene.

          Soon, though, Brock had delivered the F5 – for the third time in a row that night – on Edge – but on the steel ramp, and headed back into the ring.  He rolled the heavily injured brunette back into the ring.  The ref checked to see if it was a KO.

          It wasn't.

          "Tag me in!" Victoria screamed at his tag team partner.  She growled at him as he ignored her, delivering painful attacks to the defenseless Liz.  The raven-haired champion had had enough.  She leapt from the apron and grabbed a steel chair, scaring away Garcia in the process as she barred her teeth at her.  

          Liz bounced against the ropes for the countless time that night.  Her head throbbed, but she tried to keep her mind from straying.  Already, bits of darkness ate at her vision.  Brock waited for her return in the center of the ring.  Anger bit at Liz, and she fueled her running.  He didn't notice.  A few feet ahead of him, Liz pushed off of her feet and slammed her shoulder into Brock's injured ribs.  He groaned in pain.  Quickly, she whipped him into a corner.  As she hoped, Victoria tagged herself in.

          Liz didn't notice her drop the chair to Richards as she looked back to her corner.  Edge stared back at her, blood seeping from his forehead.  The brunette used her remaining strength to tag him in.  She huddled herself into a ball on the apron, trying to regain her strength as she watched Victoria attack Edge, and then watched Edge respond.  He, obviously, had the upper hand in a short time, despite his bloody forehead, which was making quite a mess in the ring.  Soon, Edge delivered his spear, and covered Victoria for the pin.       

          1…Liz slipped around the apron to Brock's corner as he stepped out to break up the pin.

          2…Brock came closer to her corner, closer to breaking up the pin.  Only about 4 more large steps of his.

          "HEY BROCK!" Liz shouted.  He turned around, and she leapt from the turnbuckle, and just barely reached him.  Her legs locked around his head and she delivered the hurricarana, her injured neck and head slamming into the mat themselves.

          …3!  The bell rang and Liz dimly heard Garcia announcing the winners.  Almost immediately, she saw Brock stand up, fury blackening his blue eyes.  He started to shout at Victoria, and then after a brief exchange of colorful words, he lifted her up and started to deliver the F5.  Richards slipped in with the chair, however, and slammed it into the back of Brock's skull.  As he went for Edge, the Canadian kicked the chair into Richards' own head.  Victoria pulled Richards out of the ring and they retreated into the back.  Soon after throwing Edge and Liz an angry look, a bloodied-up Lesner followed them.  

          Edge knelt over Liz, blood falling down his face from his forehead and dripping on to her.  

          "Liz," he said gently.

          She looked at him, the distant remains of a smile on her face, "We won," she murmured happily, her eyes flickering shut.  Edge quickly moved her to the apron, slipped through the ropes, and picked up the unconscious body of the brunette, cradling her small form against him as he walked up the ramp as fast as he could.  

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          Jeff's room – now also Elizabeth's had been torn to shreds during the match.  The TV lay in pieces, the glass shattered against the fallen Hardy.  On his bare, slightly bloody, back three numbers were spray-painted.

          **3:16.**

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A/N:  WOW!  All in one sitting, too!  I hope you liked it!  Please, please review!  


	4. Chapter IV : Fair Game

A/N:  Wow!  I'm glad you guys liked my story so far!  I'm trying to update as soon as possible, but because of school it's a little hard.  Please keep reviewing!  

Disclaimer:  1st chapter.  

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DANGEROUS BUSINESS

CHAPTER 4

A LITTLE REVENEGE 

-RAW-

-8:45 P.M-

          RVD looked down at Liz and sighed.  Her jade eyes had an unusual distant look as they walked down the hall.  He dimly noticed a limp in her leg, but didn't say anything.  A scowl darkened her face.

          "Hey," Rob said, trying to keep the conversation light.  "I've been thinking of what you said to Jericho."  Liz looked up slowly, wisps of hair spilling out of her loose ponytail.  

          "Yeah?" she said, scowling as she redid her ponytail.  Still, some hair blew right into her face.  "What about it?" she repeated.

          "You said 'I'd rather take a bath in hot tar naked', right?" he questioned.  Sighing, Liz nodded, shifting her duffel bag onto her other shoulder with a slight wince.  

          She stared at him for a second.  The scowl returned to her face and she said, in a light tone, "You know, I never thought that someone would take time out of their life to correct my insults.  Besides," she added with an insolent grin, "Jericho seemed to like it."  Rob smiled in return.  "Hey," she said after a minute, "Can I valet for you tonight?"  She stared at him pleadingly and he sighed. 

          "I don't know…" he murmured.  

          She sighed, and then asked, "You're facing HHH, right?" Rob looked down for a second and nodded in response.  To his surprise, Liz smirked readily.  "You're going to beat that idiot hands-down," she informed him as she crossed her arms across her chest.  She snorted after a second and added, "Hell, even that wimp Jericho could beat him."  She did appear slightly miffed that Rob hadn't let her valet.  

          Soon, Liz stepped into her room with a short good-bye to Rob.  As she set her small duffel down, she looked around the empty room.  She remembered vaguely that Matt and Lita would be in here with her later that night.  Sighing, she slipped onto the leather couch, thinking about Jeff, fury outlining her face.  McMahon had promised her that she would receive a title shot at Victoria, but now she was forced to take the day off.  She flipped on the TV and propped up her feet.  There would be plenty of times for revenge on Austin.  

          Speak of the Devil.  The jackass himself was out in the ring, calling out McMahon about something or another.  Liz stared at the ceiling, a sadistic smile on her face.

          Of course, any night was good for revenge…

*                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *

          Edge stared at the door to the office of the APA.  He couldn't believe he was actually doing this.  Convincingly, he remembered what Liz had said after he had come to talk with her just after RAW started.  The thing that unnerved him was that she said that she would take out Austin.  Edge knew she could handle herself, but she was a bit dumb when it came to decision-making.  The Canadian himself had only beaten Stone Cold once.  

          He knocked on the door and walked in.  As usual, Farooq and Bradshaw were sitting at a round table, drinking Bud and playing cards.  Bradshaw jerked his head up.

          "What do you want?" he snapped.  Edge walked over and sat at one of the empty chairs and responded in a simple manner.

          "I want you to look after one of my friends tonight," he told them, clenching his jaw as he tried to decipher their unreadable faces.  

          "Who?" replied Bradshaw, picking at his skin.  

          Edge sighed and responded, "Elizabeth Smith."  It was awkward using her full name, but he did so nonetheless.  He saw their faces lighten.

          "We'll do it," informed Farooq happily.  Edge slid two twenties on the table, figuring they wouldn't care much about the money.  Walking out, he hoped that Smithy would understand.  He sighed, shook his head lightly and began to prepare for his match.  

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          The brunette glared at the APA in pure fury.  She noticed Farooq shed away slightly, but the broader Texan just stared down at her, angering her further for no real reason.

          "He what?" she hissed, Her hands balled into fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palm as she waited for the answer.  

          "You're stuck with us no matter what you think of it," supplied Farooq.

          "So why don't we play a round of poker?" continued Bradshaw.

          A smirk spread across Liz's face.  As much as she hated it, Farooq was probably right.  She probably couldn't fight them – not in the shape she was in now – so she sighed and said, "Sure.  But I have to warn you, I'm going to kick your Asses."

          Bradshaw smiled and said, "Now, little miss, that's just not possible."  

          The brunette let a smile cross her face.  A challenge.  She sighed – it wasn't a match, it wasn't revenge, but at least she would kick _someone's _butt tonight.

*                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *

          Liz smiled as she took in the last of their money.  Farooq threw up his hands in surrender.  Bradshaw mock-scowled at her.  She smiled sweetly back at him.  Her eyes strayed to the television that had been hooked up in the APA office.  She frowned as she watched Brock destroy Jericho.  

          'Big surprise,' she thought wryly, thinking of her last match with Brock.  A little smile came to her face as she watched Jericho crawl away after losing.  She glanced at the two Texans and stretched her legs on the tip of the table.  She smiled as they watched attentively.  

          "Hey, guys," she asked, "You guys interested in helping a girl out and dishing out some revenge?"  She watched their faces and slowly, they nodded.  

          A small smile came to her face as she stood up, leading the APA down the halls.  'Men,' she thought happily as they walked, 'So gullible.'

*                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *

          Liz looked down at her watch.  '10:15' the letters blinked back at her.  She frowned.  Already 10:15?  Oh, well.  At least he would be done with his match by now.  Of course, that could be good and it could be bad.  The brunette looked back at the two Texans following her.  She gripped the steel blue chair tighter in her hands.  

          The APA stepped forward and barged through the door.  Liz sighed.  They had refused to let her go in first when she'd suggested the idea.  She heard gruff curses and she peaked through the door.  Across the room, Austin locked eyes with her.  After their surprise attack, Bradshaw had Austin's hands held tightly, and Farooq was in the process of choking him, waiting for Liz's command.

          She glared at him, her jade eyes blazing with fury.  "Hey, Dad," she hissed in an inhuman voice.  She saw the surprise written on the men's faces as she said it, but kept her eyes drilling into Austin.  Liz tapped the chair with her nail as she approached, and then set it down.  She lined her body parallel to Stone Cold's.  "Let him go," she ordered.  As soon as they did, Austin slammed the stunner on Farooq.  Bradshaw backed off at her approval.  

          "You really think you're going to prove anything when you go attacking people from behind?" questioned Austin.

          She glared at him.  "I should be asking YOU that question," she hissed.  "What did Jeff have to do with ANYTHING?" she shouted at him.  

          "Business," replied her father icily.  

          "Bastard," retorted Liz.  Her teeth clenched and she stared at Stone Cold.  She was only seeing a target now, but with a perfect little target on his head.  

          "You want to fight me?" chuckled Austin.  

          "I'm going to," replied Liz, jumping at him.  Austin dodged her high kick and grasped her leg, only to be kicked in the face with her other foot.  He spun to the ground, but leapt up quickly.  Liz slammed the base of her foot into his chest and chopped him in his neck.  She spun around and Bradshaw threw her the chair.  Liz pushed it in front of her foot as it slammed into Austin.  A dull slam echoed through the room as it hit.  As the man struggled to get up off of the floor, the brunette searched the room, her eyes falling on the bottle of black spray paint.  

          She turned to her father, who was up on his feet, staggering, but up all the same.  Liz grasped a lamp between her hands and slammed it into the back of his head, drawing blood.  She vaguely noticed that she had opened a cut on his head from his previous match, but didn't say anything.  Bradshaw leapt forward and slammed the chair into the Rattlesnake's back a few times for good measure.  Liz sighed in irritation.  Once the Texan was done, she opened the spray can and sprayed the black onto Austin's back.

          "Let's go," said Liz.  She sighed, knowing that this wasn't the perfect revenge – Austin tired out from a previous night – but she was sure that Mr. McMahon would give them a match someday, sooner or later.  

          The two walked out – Farooq being dragged by Bradshaw – and left Austin lying in the bits of lamp, the sign for Team Xtreme glittering on his back. 

*                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *

          "Hey Bradshaw," Liz said as they walked to the curtain, "Can I valet for your match?"  Bradshaw hesitated.  "You wouldn't be doing your job if I didn't come out - !" Liz pointed out.  

          Bradshaw grumbled and responded unwillingly, "Fine, you'll come out.  But you're going to go out on commentary, not to valet."  

          "Fine," replied Liz, sticking out her bottom lip comically as Bradshaw's music hit.  The fans cheered, and Liz got a chance to look up.  She looked around the crowds, smiling at the signs.  Some of them were for her! She realized happily as she went to the commentary, wishing Bradshaw good luck as she did so.

          "Hey Elizabeth!" cried King enthusiastically as she put on the headset.  

          "Call me Liz," she corrected automatically, untangling her hair from the headphones.  

          "Should you be out here now with what you did to your father?" questioned JR.  Liz jumped, startled. 

          "You saw that?" she questioned.  The announcers nodded.  Liz huffed quietly and stared at the ring as Rick Flair came walking down the ramp, accompanying Batista.  "Austin got what was coming to him," she retorted, "I only wish that I could kick his ass in the ring one time."  She carefully watched Flair, staring at his bandages.  

          The match was long and hard.  Liz watched it intently as she commented.  Batista was in control for most of the match, even though Bradshaw appeared to have the control in the mid-point when he gave Batista the clothesline from hell.  But Batista regained control and was carefully picked Bradshaw apart.

          As Liz watched, she was oblivious to the figure sneaking up on her.  The person grabbed her by her hair from the top of the stage.  She managed to twist around, and when she did, was met with the livid eyes of the Rattlesnake.  Liz lifted her foot and slammed it into Austin's groin, he let go, and she dropped to the floor that the announcer table was set on.  

          The brunette ignored the King's comments and leapt up onto the ramp.  Austin grabbed her by her hair – again – and tossed her across the steel.  Liz skidded several feet, the skin on her forearms and legs tearing off against the steel, her head bouncing against the relentless ramp.  As Austin did his thing with the fans, Liz stood up, and as Austin turned, she rammed her shoulder into his gut in her own spear.  She brought her fist back and slammed it into Austin's face, sending him reeling backwards, and falling to the steel.  Liz waved the brass knuckles in her hand at him and jeered.  The crowd seemed unsure what to do.  Austin growled and pushed himself off his feet, grabbing her wrist and twisting it painfully.  He shouted smack to her as the bell rang and Garcia announced the winner of the match – Batista.  Austin tackled her to the ground and slammed his fists into her repeatedly.  Liz struggled away and stood up.  She took a few steps back and delivered a sidekick – straight to Austin's jaw.  He stumbled backwards, and she dropkicked him, breaking her fall to the steel with her hands.  Struggling, Liz fought him with similar moves until he was down for a bit more.  She sighed, knowing that she'd have to do something drastic to end this.  So she picked Austin up and painfully lifted him unto her shoulders.  He was heavy – almost too heavy for her.  Pain shot down from her back and she staggered slightly, but kept Austin in the air, but not for long.  She finally pushed him down, his back crashing against the steel.  Liz grasped at her back quietly and raised her hand with her thumb, pointer, and middle fingers sticking out – the Hardy's sign.  

          "Tell me I'm dreaming, JR!" cried King, "Tell me that a rookie – female! – didn't just powerbomb the Rattlesnake!"

          "I don't know about that King, but she better get out of there soon!" he shouted as Batista and Flair walked up the ramp.  Liz glared at Batista for a second and shouted four words to him.

          "Next time, big man," she hissed to him, and walked away as her music crashed through the speakers.  

          Once behind the curtains, she pressed a hand against the wall to steady herself.  Her head had begun to spin once more.  Curtsey of herself – and Austin – the cut on the back of her head had reopened and the blood slowly seeped through the cut..  

          As she dragged herself to the doctor "on campus", strong hands grasped her arms and shoved her against the wall.  Her head crashed against the concrete wall, and her dizziness increased severely.  

          In front of her, Chris Jericho smirked.  

          "Not so tough now are you?" he taunted.

          "Go fuck yourself," retorted Liz blindly, struggling to kick him, but he leaned out of reach.  Jericho chuckled and smirked.  "You'll be sorry you said what you did on Smackdown!" he hissed.  He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers roughly.

          Liz jerked her pained head back and slammed it into Jericho's, bringing an onslaught of pain to her head.  Jericho grasped his forehead in pain as Liz stumbled through the hall slowly, seeing two of everything.  Suddenly, she felt another wave of pain crash through her skull, and then she fell into the black recesses of unconsciousness.  

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A/N:  Okay, this was a crappy chapter, sorry about that.  I didn't have too much time to finish it and was kind of at a loss of how to write this.  Please review!


	5. Chapter V : Window of Opportunity

A/N:  Hey everyone!  I just wanted to say, thank you for all of the reviews!  Starting in April, I'll be doing track, along with dance every Thursday until the end of May.  I won't be able to update as much, and nada on Thursdays.  Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter.  I'm at a plot loss here, so it may take awhile!  Please review!

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Dangerous Business

Chapter 5

Title Shot

~Smackdown

~8:25 PM

            Liz sighed as she looked down at the bandage that encircled her wrist, staring at the circular bruises on her arms.  She frowned, remembering her encounter with Jericho.  What had he hit her with anyway?  A chair?  Oh well, she thought, at least Jeff found him just after I passed out…

            Sighing, she stared at her attire in the mirror.  She wore a black, belly-revealing tank top with the team X-treme symbol in silver across it.  A silver cross hung just above the shirt's neckline.  She took a moment thinking that time had flown since RAW.  

            "Elizabeth, it's time for your match!" a voice called from the hall.  Liz nodded to the messenger and walked to the door, her black pants swishing against each other, her boots padding across the floor.  She squeezed her hands together nervously, continuing her warm-up as she walked to the curtains, throwing punches to an invisible opponent. 

            She took a moment to clear her head.  The one nagging question at her mind – Why had McMahon given her a title shot? – was shoved ruthlessly to the back of her head.      

            Liz watched the reigning champion and her boyfriend walk into the curtains.  Confusedly, she felt a pang in the pit of her stomach.  Jealously?  She shook the thought out of her head as her song played.  She walked out down the ramp confidently and this time looked around at the various signs.  

            "TEAM X-TREME", "R-V-D + LIZ FOREVER", and "AUSTIN KICKS ASS" with a picture of Austin stunning her flashed out from the crowd.  Liz scowled and was ready to beat the person holding the sign with her and Austin, but forced herself to take her attention away from the crowd.  She smiled at the cheers as she posed on the turnbuckle.  

            As soon as the bell rang, Victoria lunged toward Liz, who met her head on.  Victoria took the brunette into a headlock, but Liz shoved her off her and into the ropes.  As Victoria bounced back, Liz leant down and flipped her over her back.  Victoria leapt to her feet and they traded right hooks – Liz getting control with a swift uppercut.  She whipped the champion into the corner, went to the ropes near the turnbuckle, putting her foot on the second one, and slammed her foot into the champ's face.  As Liz landed, her opponent stumbled forward.  Liz bounced off the ropes, grabbing Victoria's head, and delivered a bulldog.  She lifted Victoria's leg and the ref slapped his hand against the mat.

            1…2…Victoria kicked out.  Liz grabbed Victoria by the hair and pulled her up and suspended her in the air for a few seconds, and then let them fall to the mat.  She stood up quickly and bounced off the ropes and gave Victoria a dropkick.  Once Victoria was down, Liz leapt to the turnbuckle.  She leapt off it, gaining a lot of height, and flipped backwards twice in the air, landing perfectly on Victoria.  Once again, Liz went for the pin.

            "Liz is trying to get this done as quickly as possible, King," observed JR, "and after the first three shows of her career, I can understand why!"

            1…2…Almost 3!  Liz looked down at Victoria.  She had to end this thing soon, or Victoria would start to gain an advantage as the pain in her head and back returned.  The brunette picked Victoria up, but she slammed her shoulder into Liz's gut.  Victoria picked her up and chopped her against the ropes, and then pushed her to the other side, giving her a backbreaker when she returned.

            1…2…Liz kicked out.  Victoria picked her up and tossed her over the ropes.  She distracted the ref easily as Liz landed roughly on the mat.  The brunette looked up at Steven Richards and her temper flared.  She kicked the title away and tried to kick him.  Steven ran into the ring as Victoria slid out and picked up the title, ramming it into Liz's back.  Wincing in pain, Liz felt her eyes blurring with anger as she was rolled into the ring.

            1…2…Liz shoved Victoria off roughly and clambered to her feet.  She shoved Victoria into the turnbuckle and picked her on top of it.  From there, she lifted Victoria – so much lighter than Austin! – up onto her shoulders and power bombed her onto the mat.  The announcers voiced their awe.  Liz considered going for the pin, but then she felt a pang of pain run through her back.  She jerked the champ onto her feet and picked her up, this time so her head was between her legs.  Liz pushed her knees onto the ground, along with Victoria's head.  Victoria went limp, her body falling to the mat.  The brunette blew a wisp of hair out of her face as she covered the champ.  She had tried to lighten the move considerably – as not to break her neck.  

            1…2…Richards ran into the ring.  Liz growled and let go of the pin.  She stood up and side-kicked him, sending him rolling onto the floor outside the ring.  Turning back to Victoria, Liz noticed that she was on the verge of getting up.  The brunette jumped on top of the turnbuckle as Victoria stood up, clenching her neck, and Liz delivered the Hurricarana once again.  This time, she rolled Victoria up.        

            1…2…3!  Liz whooped with joy, along with the crowd.  

            "The winner, and new Women's Champion, Liz Smith!"

            Liz held the title above her head in triumph.  As she turned, a fist collided with her face.  She growled as it came again, but Liz blocked it and got a good look at her attacker.

            It was Chris Jericho.  

            "No cousin to help you out now," he growled at her, tossing her at the ropes.  She tried to get around it, but Jericho whipped her into a backbreaker, quickly grabbing her legs once she was down.  Liz struggled, but in no time the Walls of Jericho were locked.  "TAP OUT!" screamed Jericho.  Liz clenched her fists.  Her back hurt more than she'd imagined.  But she refused to tap.  That would be giving this asshole pleasure, and she wouldn't, not even when Jericho pushed harder.  "TAP!" he repeated.  The brunette tried to turn, but at this angle she couldn't gather any strength – let enough alone to take down Jericho.  He pulled back further.  She tried to withhold it, but she had to let out a yelp of pain.  Jericho smiled to himself, until Liz said to him, in a low voice, devoid of any feeling – pain, joy, or anything.

            "I won't tap," she hissed.  Jericho pulled his hold even harder.  How could she stand it?  He gripped harder on her legs and pulled back even further.  One more yelp of pain came from his victim, and a wide smile spread across his face.  Liz thrashed, pulling every once of strength left to struggle out of it while Jericho strived to hold on to her.  She wiggled her body, trying to squirm out of it, but there was no way out.  She wouldn't tap…she wouldn't tap…  Feeling her will start to diminish, she repeated it to herself again, and again.  She felt blackness biting at the edges of her vision.  Better to pass out than to tap, she thought vaguely.  

            Suddenly, it was gone.  The pressure, the pain, everything.  Liz pressed her cheek against the mat, willing her back to dull.  She felt the mat rocking lightly as two men fought.  Soon, a concerned face loomed over hers. 

            "You okay?" Rob Van Dam asked her, extending her hand.

            "One day, I'm going to kick his ass," she hissed in reply, grasping his hand and pulling up.  "…Thanks," she said as she hugged him tightly.  As she pulled away, their gazes locked.  As if in a trance, they leant forward, touching their lips gently.

            "Oh my god JR!" cried King.  "I can't believe it!"  

            Meanwhile, Jericho retreated to the back, glaring at the two as he walked back, cursing.  Suddenly, a smile lit up his face, and he jogged to Mr. McMahon's office.  As he entered, the man looked at him strangely.

            "What brings you here, Jericho?" he asked.

            "I want to suggest a match for Armageddon next Sunday," replied a breathless Jericho, "With Elizabeth."

            McMahon frowned.  Calculations were invisible on his face as he said slowly, "What kind of match?"

            Jericho thought a moment, and then said, slowly, "No DQ."

            "I'm sorry, Jericho," said McMahon briskly, "You have a match with Chris, and I'm not changing that.  Plus, Elizabeth is already booked for a match."

            "Versus who?" growled Jericho.

            "Stone Cold Steve Austin," replied McMahon smugly.

            "Type?" grunted Jericho.

            "You'll see, Jericho, along with the rest of the world…" replied McMahon, an evil glitter in his eye.  "And its much, much better than No DQ."

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A/N:  Kind of short (I think) but I hope you guys like it!  Please review, and I'll see you next time!


	6. Chapter VI : Disclosure

A/N:  Hi everyone!  I'm back!  Hope you liked the story so far!

Disclaimer:  Liz's theme song is owned by Linkin Park, called "Points of Authority".  Everything else was on the 1st chapter. 

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-DANGEROUS BUSINESS-

Chapter 6

            ~Last RAW before Armageddon

            ~8:55 P.M

            "You guys are just the perfect couple," said Jeff sarcastically as they entered the building.  Immediately, Liz dropped Rob's hand and lunged toward Jeff playfully.  She grasped his shoulders and shoved him to the wall.

            "I don't know, Jeff.  I think that you and Trish outrank us," she teased, smiling.  "By the way, how was your night?  I mean you were – " Jeff tickled her as she tried to continue.  His ticklish cousin retreated.

            "Stop!" she shouted, batting away his hands.  She ran a few steps backward…and bumped right into the broad chest of Brock Lesner.  Liz turned obliviously around.  "Sorry," she said, her tone somewhat icy.  She placed her hand on the inside of the Women's title that encircled her shoulder as she stared back at him when he didn't pass.

            "Congratulations," he said, motioning toward her title.  Big surprise, he thought wryly.  Rob Van Dam stood behind her, staring at him suspiciously.  Brock continued.  "I wanted to say I'm sorry," he told her, blacking out RVD and Jeff, "I shouldn't have gone that far."  With the mention of the match, the brunette scowled.  She was curious too – why was he even apologizing to her?  She thought of Edge and her scowl deepened as she thought of what Brock did to him, what he did to her.

            "This isn't something that I can just leave alone," Liz said, her eyes straying to a place of her own, lost in thought, "But I'm glad that someone in this federation has the decency to apologize."  Her jade eyes darkened as she thought of Jericho.  "Little Bastard," she hissed to herself.  

            "What was that for?" asked an angry Lesner.

            "I wasn't talking about you!" she snapped, "I was talking about – "

            "Jericho?" Lesner finished helpfully.  The brunette stared at him for a bit, and then replied.

            "Yeah.  I have to go," her voice was steady and firm, "Bye."  She walked away without a second glace at the man who stood in the hallway, smiling at her retreating back.  

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            Liz watched the beginning of RAW – Jazz versus Trish – as she braided Lita's hair.  

            "You're with RVD?" cried Lita.  Liz nodded in response, glad to be catching up with her friend when Jeff walked in.  There was an acid scowl on his face as he handed Liz a single sheet of paper.  The brunette paused the braiding and glanced it over.  It was the night's matches.  Shrugging, Liz read it, the redhead in front of her peeking at it.  

_1. __Jazz vs. Trish_

_2. __RVD and Kane vs. Randy Orton and A-Train_

_3. __Chris Beniot vs. Edge_

_4. __HHH vs. Test_

_5. __Batista vs. Bubba Ray and D'von. _

_6. __Undertaker and Elizabeth Smith vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin and Y2J _

            "Taking the night off?" asked Liz, handing the list to Lita as she stared at Jeff.  "Hey, everyone deserves a night off – and you haven't been using yours for the past about what – 2 months?"  Jeff just sighed in irritation.  Jeff sighed and sat down on the couch next to Lita and Liz.  "Trish is almost done kicking Jazz's ass," observed Liz, "So why don't you and her go out or something?"  

            Jeff rolled his eyes, "I never thought a good idea would come from your mouth."

            "Hey!" protested Liz.  Jeff smiled.

            "Be careful at your match – and watch your back."

            "Literally or figuratively?"

            "Both," replied the Hardy while gritting his teeth, "'Taker isn't a man to trust when you don't know him."

            "All right, I'll be careful," sighed Liz as the bell rang on the screen, and the announcer babbled into the microphone about Trish winning.  Jeff walked out of the room, picking up his duffel as he went.  

            "You and 'Taker against Austin and Jericho?" echoed Lita as Jeff went.  "What'd you do to McMahon?  Insult the stoplight out of his suit?"

            Liz smirked, "You could say that."  She sighed, resting her head on the couch, closing her eyes quietly.  

            "You want to go to the cafeteria?" asked Lita.  

            "Sure," replied Liz.  At least this would get her mind off the match.  The brunette ran a hand through her hair as the two stood up and walked down the halls.  Lita noticed Liz's far-away stare, and debated whether to ask about it.

            "What's up?"

            Liz jerked her head and looked at Lita, sighing.  She smiled, and then said, in forceful cheerfulness, "I guess it's just nothing…" She tried to force her thoughts away from the topic of her father, but she couldn't, she was too tangled up in her own feelings.  On one half, she hated him.  She hated him for abandoning her and her mother; she hated him for what he did to Jeff…  But on the other half, she wondered if it was right.  Was it morally right to hate her father?  Sighing, she also remembered Jericho; too vividly recalling what he did, barely suppressing a growl.  

            "What to talk about it?" offered Lita.  Liz thought about it, but was saved an answer as Y2J sauntered past.  

            "Hey Liz," he said, "Lita."

            "Hello, jackass," replied Liz under her breath.  Lita blinked, recalling the Jericho before he grew an ego.  She glared at Jericho, her eyes blazing.  She elbowed Lita discreetly and the two walked away, ditching the blonde.  Liz passed a wary eye back, and inadvertently met his gaze.  A crafty smile hung on his face as he fast-walked down the hall, in the direction of Mr. McMahon's office.  

            Just as Liz and Lita were close to the food, Liz became aware of something towering behind her.  The two spun around, and looked up at the Undertaker.  Lita stared at him warily, remembering when he threw her off the steel ramp.  Instinctively, Liz stepped a tad in front of Lita, shielding her from view.  'Taker looked down at Liz, not noticing the redhead.  

            "We need to talk about the match," he said gruffly.  Liz nodded and turned to Lita.  

            "I'll met you there in a second, all right?" she said.  "If it takes awhile, just go back to the room.  I'll be there awhile before my match."

            "Okay.  See you," Lita said, mouthing two words to Liz that almost went unnoticed by 'Taker.  'Be careful.'  The brunette nodded at her unspoken message and followed 'Taker down the halls.  They stopped in a random hall and sat down on the black containers.  The tall man talked strictly strategy as Liz listened on carefully, adding little parts in here and there, but carefully never really interrupting him.  As 'Taker continued to talk, Liz's eyes strayed to the TV, which had the footage from a camera backstage.  She almost caught herself rolling her eyes in 'Taker's face as she saw Stacey break things off with Test.

            "Are you listenin' to what I'm sayin', girl?" asked 'Taker with his Texan drawl.  Liz stared at him for a second, almost thinking of telling him that he was boring her to death; but remembered that she wasn't dealing with her cousins or someone less dangerous that wouldn't hurt her if the chance came up.

            "Yeah, I'm listening," she responded, "I want a chance to take on Austin," she said before 'Taker could continue.  

            "You wanna lose this match?" responded 'Taker.  "No way are you getting in the ring with that SOB!" 

            About five minutes later, Liz emerged away from their meeting, a scowl darkening her face once more.  Her day had gone from good to bad.  'Taker didn't think she was good enough to get in the ring with Austin, she missed Rob to ask to valet for his match; and get a kiss, Austin kept popping into her head unbidden, she was hungry, and nobody was around to talk with.  Since her discussion with the Undertaker had taken so long, Lita had gone back to the room.  Upon returning, Liz found no trace of her friend.  She punched in her cell phone's number as she watched her boyfriend's match.  Sighing, as Lita didn't pick up, she set the phone back on its cradle.  She turned back to the match with a whoop of joy as she realized that Rob and Kane had won the match.  Her joy, however, only lasted until HHH and Batista came running down.  She started to run out to help them, but Test ran down the ramp, still, amazingly, accompanied by Stacey.  Liz pushed herself back onto the couch, knowing that Kane, Test, and Rob could kick their butts, so she simply watched as they destroyed HHH and Batista.  A-Train had recovered and grabbed a chair.  Stacey tried to take it out of his hands.  He turned and tried to slam the chair into Stacey's head, but Rob slammed it into A-Train's head with a spinning heel kick, sending the hairy giant to the mat.  Stacey grabbed Rob's hand and turned him around.  The long-legged Diva pushed her lips onto Rob's.  

            Liz wasn't that angry.  She thought that Stacey simply didn't know what was going on between she and Rob and was simply a victim of her own vileness.  But when Rob didn't pull back; and, in fact, deepened the kiss, Liz stared at the TV numbly.

            "What?" she whispered.  Her voice filled the empty room, echoing off the walls and taunting her.  She closed her eyes quietly and opened them again, a childish hope that she was dreaming.  

            She had no idea that four days with a guy could hurt this much.  However, while her heart crumbled in tears, her mind set off once again, separated from her heart painfully.  Numb anger fueled her mind as she walked to the curtains.  Not really sure what she was going to do, Liz stood there for a few seconds.  She heard people's footsteps come close to the curtains.  The brunette darted into the cloak of shadows behind the curtains, her heart crashing painfully against her ribcage with every beat.  This was a dream…just a dream…

            As soon as RVD and Stacey reached the curtains, Rob dropped Stacey's arm and walked down the steps.  

            "I hope your girlfriend takes it well," said Stacey, a sly smile forming at her mouth, happily.

            "Shut up," hissed Rob in reply.  

            "Will someone just explain to me…what just happened out there?" hissed a quiet, dead-sounding voice.  Rob turned around to see Liz, who had stepped from the shadows.  He stepped forward to embrace her, but something about her held him back.  Clearly seeing the jade eyes he was so fond of dart to Stacey and narrow, he understood what she didn't.

            "Liz," he said.  She opened her mouth, but Rob beat her to it.  "This is a storyline for the fans," he explained, watching her eyes closely.  As much as Liz tried to hide her emotions, they always seemed to be so clear in her eyes.  "McMahon said only last a few shows."  Liz looked doubtful as he plunged into the details of storylines.  One half of her doubted him after he stopped, the other believed him completely.  She felt her will to reject his explanation waver.  

            "I have to talk to someone," was her only reply.  Rob stared after her as she practically ran down the halls, looking after with a wounded, pained expression on his face.  

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            "What do you mean, you can't change them?" cried a distressed brunette.  Her palms slapped down on Vince McMahon's desk in anger.  

            "Storylines don't change," he responded.  "I'm aware that you don't like this, but I'm being generous here!"

            "5 shows?" replied Liz, her voice layered with disbelief.    

            "Take it or leave it!" roared McMahon, "You can still see him off camera," he added, disgusted with her behavior.

            "Fine," replied Liz.  She hid her joy professionally.  Rob wasn't lying…  A part of her wanted to mentally slap herself for being so doubtful, but Liz didn't mind anymore.  She walked to the office door, her hand falling on the cool metal as Mr. McMahon sighed.

            "Liz," he called, "I'll let you choose the stipulations for your match with Austin."  It was the first act of kindness she had seen a McMahon display.  "Make it good," he warned her, "Or I'll choose."

            She nodded as she shut the door.  As soon as her hand let go of the handle, she ran down the halls, trying to find Rob's locker room.  

            Liz was not prepared for what she saw next.  Rob Van Dam lay in a pile of rubble of glass and such, blood seeping from his skin, bruises forming on his still body.  A bloody, torn shirt hung on the room's side of the doorknob.  The brunette's gaze traveled to the bare black of her boyfriend, hoping against hopes.

            **3:16.**

It was there, sprayed onto his back, taunting her.  Liz stepped over the rubble and carefully rolled RVD onto his back.  She held her hand up to his face, gratefully feeling the warmth of breath.  He was in no dire need for a doctor, she thought, cradling his head quietly as she stared at the skull that had been spray painted onto Rob's door.  Her jaw clenched.  

            She knew she probably wouldn't get much revenge tonight.  But…she thought, her gaze straying to a steel chair lying on the ground…she would have a chance at Armageddon.  

            And after she beat him with her bare hands, she wasn't going to play fair.  

            She slowly picked up Rob, stumbling under his weight.  In the end, she draped one arm around his shoulders and slowly, carefully, dragged him out of the room.  The hallway seemed tortuously long as she took one slow step at a time, glancing at Rob every other step, making sure he was still breathing.   

            Suddenly, Brock Lesner stood in front of her.  He cocked his head, taking in the wounded RVD.  

            "Need some help?" he asked as he easily picked up the unconscious RVD once she nodded.  "Lead the way," he commanded.  Caught up with worrying, Liz didn't really acknowledge that it was Brock Lesner that was helping her out.  She didn't notice the blond that glared after her, stepping from his locker room, an evil smile on his face.  He tapped a steel chair on the concrete floor, watching them round the corner.  

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A/N:  Sorry, it was a boring chapter.  I didn't have very many ideas!  Sorry it took so long to update!  Please, please review!


	7. Chapter VII : Message in a Bottle

A/N:  Thank you all for the reviews!  Sorry about the last chapter, it was a little off.  Anyway, please review!

Disclaimer:  I own squat.

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DANGEROUS BUSINESS

CHAPTER 7

Undefeated?

            Liz rested her back and head against the wall quietly.  She closed her eyes, trying to clear her mind of the several things bothering her.  The brunette sighed heavily and pushed herself off of the dull yellow wall and walked to the curtains, pulling her hair into a loose bun.  Wondering where Lita was, she wasn't watching where she went, until she stumbled into another superstar.  

            A strong hand gripped hers, stopping her fall.  Liz turned around to face the man she bumped into.  To her surprise, she found herself face-to-face with Shawn Micheals.  

            "Sorry," she said quickly as he dropped her arm, "I wasn't watching where I was going."  

            "I'm sure you have your reasons," replied HBK kindly, "I heard about Rob."  Liz tensed quietly.  "I heard the doc say that he's just got a bruised rib and a minor concussion."  The brunette almost gave a sigh of relief, thinking that Shawn would've said something that led to a fight.  She was surprised; when Brock and her had dropped Rob off, the doctor hadn't told them anything.

            "Thanks," she told him gratefully as Jericho's music echoed through the area.  Liz jerked her head up and gave Micheals an apologetic smile.  "I better get going…"

            "Good luck," he said. 

            "Thank you," replied Liz, "See you."  The brunette walked quickly along, following the maze of hallways.  Finally, she reached the curtains.  She was glad that her plan had worked.  By the time she got there, Stone Cold had already gone out.  An irritated Undertaker glared at her from his spot against the wall.  She stared back at him blankly as he stepped through the curtains.  As soon as his music ended, hers started.  Liz stepped through the curtains and down the steel ramp, surprised at the number of cheers that had gone up while her music was playing.  She slid into the ring and walked to the turnbuckle, not giving Y2J or Austin a second glance as she posed and did her thing.  After she strolled back into her corner, 'Taker told her that they had to stick to the plan.  Liz nodded unwillingly, knowing that 'Taker would follow it no matter what she said.  'Taker and Austin started the match, Liz watching on intently.  It was great to watch the two wrestlers fight; they were, after all, the best of the business.  The momentum switched constantly, until Jericho tagged himself in, angering the Rattlesnake.  'Taker clotheslined Jericho and tagged in Liz.  

            Liz stomped Jericho, and then yanked him up by his mop of hair.  The ref told her not to do it again, but Liz ignored him as she whipped Jericho into the ropes.  She placed her right foot behind her and pushed it off, smacking it with all the force she could muster into Jericho's chin.  Jericho went down as Liz balanced herself.  The blonde clutched at his jaw as he was dragged up once again.  She gave him some hard right hooks, and then pushed him into the turnbuckle.  From the other side, she performed a perfect double handspring, ending up by the corner in the air, and slammed both of her airborne legs into his chest.  

            The two were in the ring for a long time.  Jericho gained the momentum a few times, but she fought back each time.  Jericho was stronger than her, but much, much slower.  When Liz had gained momentum once again, she tagged in 'Taker.  In an attempt to tag Austin in, Jericho kicked 'Taker hard enough to let himself race to Austin and tag him in.  Liz watched disdainfully as Austin started to manhandle 'Taker after a long session of bouncing back and forth.  She shouted to 'Taker to tag her in; but 'Taker didn't even pass her a glance.  So Liz watched angrily on as her father beat on 'Taker.

            "C'mon!" she cried to 'Taker, slapping the turnbuckle as Austin delivered the Stone Cold Stunner, and went for the pin.

            1…2…Liz jumped through the ropes, only to be met with a clothesline by Jericho.  3!  The bell rang and the announcer shouted words into the mike as Jericho continued his attack on Liz.  'Taker stood up angrily, attacking Austin.  

            As she stood up, Liz blocked each of the punches Jericho threw at her, until he finally got one in, giving him a shot for another, which he took gratefully.  Y2J pushed her into the ropes and gave her a backbreaker.  Liz felt a sharp jab of pain run up her sore back as it landed on Jericho's knee.  She felt Jericho grasp her legs tightly.  In response, she flailed as much as she could, trying to kick him or something.  But in her vulnerable position, she couldn't put up much resistance.  Soon, Jericho had landed the Walls of Jericho once again.  The pain magnified in her back.  She twisted herself, trying to ball up so she could flip Jericho off, but to no avail.  

            Suddenly, her legs flopped to the ground.  Liz, her jaw pressed against the mat, saw Jericho land painfully a few feet away, and roll out of the ring.  The fight between the dead man and Stone Cold had already spilled to the back, so Liz relaxed slightly as she rolled over.  

            HBK looked down at her, his eyebrow arched over his brown eyes perfectly, extending his hand.  Liz took it, heaving herself to her feet.  She almost stumbled but regained herself quickly.  She focused her jade eyes on Shawn quizzically.

            "Rob sent me," he told her, smirking at her surprised face, and then added, "Plus, I had to settle a score with Jericho."  The Women's Champion smiled back at him, saying a grateful thanks as they both walked out of the ring and into the back.  

            "I take it the doctor wouldn't let him go?" Liz asked, undoing her hair from the ponytail she had gathered it in for the match.  

            "He put up hell of a fight," chuckled Shawn, "The doctor threatened to call security."  Liz smiled to herself.  As they reached the curtains, she said a quick good-bye to Shawn and headed to the doctor on-campus.  She didn't really reflect on how she lost the match, or how she never got in the ring with Austin.  Her feet quickened as she reached her destination.  Liz slowly walked in the room, spotting Rob at once.  She ran forward and hugged him tightly, carefully as not to hurt his ribs more.  

            "Hey," Rob said happily, kissing her on the lips shortly.  "I see you forgive me," he mused.  She smiled and sat down next to him.  "Sorry about your match," he said truthfully.

            She scowled to herself quietly, "It's 'Taker's fault.  He was too weak to pin Austin OR Jericho and wouldn't tag me in.  I mean, isn't that what a tag match is!  You – "  Her rant was cut off by another kiss from Rob.  She blinked and then said slowly, "What'd I do to deserve that?"

            RVD shrugged and said jokingly, "I had to shut you up somehow."  Liz playfully punched him on the shoulder.  A shrill ring echoed through the room.  The brunette remembered that she still had it in her pocket.  She sighed, hoping that it hadn't broke in her match.

            "Hello?" she said. 

            "Hey, Liz?  It's Jeff," Jeff's voice rang through the static.  Liz pressed a hand to her other ear, blocking out the doctor's blabbing to the other patients to listen closer.

            "What's up, Jeff?"  

            "It's Lita…  Austin got to her…  We're at the hospital…"

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A/N:  Hope you liked it!  R/R!

**3 more reviews until I post the next chapter.**


	8. Chapter VIII : Serpant's Song

A/N:  Thank you to all the people who reviewed!  Sorry it's taking so long to update now, but I never have any time anymore!  Anyway, please review or I won't post the next chapter!  

Disclaimer:  1st chapter.

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~Dangerous Business~

~Chapter 8 – Turn up the Jazz~

= SMACKDOWN! =

= 3 MORE DAYS UNTIL ARMAGEDDON = 

= 8:06 P.M =

                Rob leaned against the open doorway, watching his girlfriend, one eye arched.  Music flowed steadily from her Discman that lay on the table.  Liz sang softly as she stretched out for her match, every once in awhile, her eyes setting on the Women's Title with a sense of pride.  

                "Graffiti decorations/Under a sky of dust/A constant wave of tension/On top of broken trust," her voice echoed through the room.  The brunette slid easily in and out the splits once, and then stood up, dusting off her nylon pants.  She turned her Discman off, turning around.  Liz smirked at Rob for a second as she wrapped her headphones.  "What's up?" she said.  Rob didn't answer immediately.  He studied Liz's face carefully.  Hardly noticeable, two dark circles under her eyes had been formed.  

                "How's Amy?" he asked quietly, knowing that Liz had been up at the hospital for a while.  Liz dropped her head quietly, thinking of her answer quietly, taking notice of the bandages around his stomach angrily.  

                "She – She ended up just like you and Jeff," she said.  Her eyes grew distant for a second, and she said, deadly, "The doctor's think that something went wrong when she landed and she screwed up her neck again."  RVD grunted in reply, lapsing into silence.  Liz leaned against the wall, her eyes flickering shut quietly.

                "Why…did he do it?" Rob asked quietly, knowing he was walking on dangerous ground.  Startled by the question, Liz jerked her head down.  She bit her lip quietly for a second before trying to explain.

                "I…don't know, really," she whispered quietly.  "I mean…when he left…we didn't really have the best goodbye or anything…" she trailed off quietly.

                "What happened?"

                "I…uh…broke a beer bottle on his shoulder," she said, shrugging, "I'd seen it on TV, and I was mad…"

                "Somehow I don't think it has anything to do with the bottle," Rob said knowingly.

                Liz chuckled sadistically.  "Probably not."  She sighed again, shutting her eyes.  "I told him never to come back, that I hated him…  I said I'd call the police and tell him what he did to mom…" Rob jerked his head up, blinking in surprise.

                "What'd he do?" he asked.

                Liz swallowed quietly, calming her nerves, "He and my mom went out one night…  Just out partying or something…  When they got home, they were both really, really drunk," she squeezed her eyes tightly.  "They were fighting about something, and then my mom…she slapped Dad." Liz paused for a second, blinking, "Dad tackled her…he started punching her and yelling," she shook her head quietly as tears formed in her eyes, "I tried to pull him off, he just shoved me into the wall and yelled at me too."  Rob walked forward and hugged her quietly.  "They weren't always like that," she whispered into Rob's shoulder.  "But…every time they came home it was something else…and most of it was Mom's fault too…" RVD hugged her tightly, resting his cheek against her head.  "I mean…that's just why I…hate…him…" she trailed off once again.  

                "Elizabeth Smith?" a voice called from the hallway.   

                "Yeah?" she replied, a faraway gaze claiming her face once more as she smoothed her hand down her halter-top quietly.  

                "It's time for your interview!" the voice announced through the door.  

                "'Kay.  One second."  Liz hugged Rob quickly, flashing him an apologetic smile.  Feelings jumbled clearly across her face as she stepped out, trying to forget about what she just told Rob.  Liz walked up to Terri, a false sense of confidence in her stride.  Quickly, she shouldered the Women's Title and pushed the thoughts of anything else but this interview from her mind.  Terri talked to her for a few seconds, telling her what sort of questions she was going to ask.  

                  "Thank you King," Terri said, turning to Liz, pointing the mike near her mouth.  Liz stared down at Terri, shifting her feet awkwardly as she waited for the first question.  "How do you feel about your match with Austin this Sunday at Armageddon?"

                Liz pursed her lips together for a second and said, "I've wrestled with Austin – briefly – before.  He's the top of the business and blah, blah, blah.  Basically, he's a damn good wrestler."  She paused quietly and added, "But I'm better."

                "I've heard that Mr. McMahon has decided to let you choose the stipulation for your match.  Is it true, and have you decided?" 

                "Yeah, McMahon said he'd let me decide.  I'm between two different choices, but I haven't made my big decision yet."

                "How do you really feel about your dad at the moment?"

                Liz smirked readily, "How do I feel about the asshole that goes around beating my friends from behind?" she smirked.  "Put it to you this way, I'm looking forward to kicking his ass on Sunday."  As Liz continued to speak, a cold, harsh voice interrupted her.

                "You should be worrying about me now," growled Jazz, stepping in front of Liz.  "'Cause I'm the one who's gonna take the title, tonight."  Liz snorted quietly.

                "You?" scoffed Liz, "You couldn't beat Molly Holly!"  Jazz stepped closer.  "You invaded my bubble," she pointed out childishly. 

                "You better watch your back, Smith," she growled into Liz's face.  Liz raised her eyebrow quietly.

                "Why?  Too afraid you'll lose to me fair and square?" Jazz just sneered and glared at Liz for a minute more before stalking off.  Liz rolled her eyes and turned around...straight into Victoria.  Liz blinked in surprise as she stared back at Victoria.  Liz narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists, clearly seeing the fury in Victoria's eyes.  For a while, the two Divas glared at each other.  "Excuse me," said Liz firmly, "I have to go and defend _my _title to Jazz, and win."  Liz sidestepped Victoria before the ex-champion could grab her arm.  

                Behind her, Victoria shouted at Liz's retreating back.  "You'll lose!" she cried in desperation.  Liz turned, her light brown hair brushing across her face.  "I'll make sure of it!" she promised.  Liz shook her head quietly as Jazz's music pounded through the speakers.  

                "You do that," she replied quickly before jogging to the curtain, shouldering her title.  Victoria stared after Liz for a minute longer, her face twisted in anger.  Her fists clenched in anger as she stomped to the curtains.  

                Liz stepped out onto the steel ramp, posing for the fans.  All the while, her eyes focused on Jazz.  Jazz stared back, her eyes threatening Liz to step in the ring.  She felt Jazz's stare bole a hole in her back as she walked into the ring, flaunting her title before she handed it to the ref.  

                "Keep it clean," suggested the ref as the bell rang.  Liz studied Jazz for a moment before grappling.  Jazz grabbed Liz's neck and choked her with her arm.  Liz, her neck squeezed between Jazz's ribs and her arm, managed to shove Jazz to the ropes.  She went for a clothesline, but Jazz ducked and hit the other side of the ropes.  Liz turned and dropkicked Jazz straight in the jaw.  Jazz reeled backward, refusing to fall.  Liz swung her leg into Jazz's jaw again, but Jazz didn't fall.  Liz struggled, but eventually suspended Jazz in the air, creating a straight line for a few seconds, before slamming Jazz onto the mat.  Quickly, Liz went for the cover.

                1…hardly 2 when Jazz pushed Liz off her.  Jazz stood up, but Liz was up first.  The two exchanged right hooks, Jazz getting the upper hand as Liz's back leaned against the ropes lightly.  Jazz threw her strength into three chops on Liz's chest before shoving her to the ropes.  Jazz went for a blow to her head, but Liz ducked.  Upon returning, Jazz locked arms with her for a belly-to-belly suplex.  Liz, having other plans, slammed her head into Jazz's forehead.  Jazz stumbled backward, pressing her palm to her forehead.  Just as soon, Liz gave her a roundhouse kick, driving Jazz to the ground.  Liz lifted Jazz off the mat and shoved her toward the turnbuckle.  Jazz countered, sending Liz to the turnbuckle, running after her to perform a body splash when Liz hit the turnbuckle.  When Liz got near the turnbuckle, she leapt up and performed the moved Jeff had taught her recently.

                "Did she just hit Jazz with Whisper in the Wind, J.R?" King exclaimed.  Indeed she had.  Liz stood up slowly, grasping her back as she picked up Jazz.  Jazz, however, refused to be manhandled.  She jabbed Liz in the stomach several times, and gave her a DDT.  Jazz sat on the top of the turnbuckle, ready to end the match.  Liz forced herself to her feet and ran at Jazz.  Jazz, not expecting Liz to be _standing_, much less running after her, tried to think of a way to end this.  As Liz neared, she came up with an idea that might hurt her more than it hurt Liz, but Jazz took the chance.  As Liz jumped atop the turnbuckle in front of her, Jazz grabbed her head, using her momentum against her as she slowly – painfully – tossed Liz to the outside.  Jazz smiled through her pain as she heard the definite crack of Liz's spine slamming against the ring steps.  Jazz slowly massaged her shoulder, knowing it was, at the least, sprained.

                Elizabeth twisted her head away from the mat so she could breathe easier.  She gave a wary eye to the steel steps that she'd bounced off only a moment before as her eyes glazed over with pain.  Still, her breath quickened.  She didn't move…she couldn't.  The pain in her back burned at her, worse, as she tried to claw her way to her feet.  She finally grasped the apron, trying to pull herself up.  Her legs quaked beneath her as her fists tightened their hold.  She lifted her head off her head, noticing the cold sweat trickling down her face.  Jazz glanced back at her, a smile on her face as she grabbed her shoulder.  The ref continued his count.  

                7…8…  Liz dropped her head, trying to force herself to stay upright.  She could hardly stand, much less wrestle.  Suddenly, the ref stopped counting.  The ref turned as Steven Richards rushed into the ring, holding a steel chair.  Immediately, the ref grasped the chair, telling Richards to leave and let go of the chair.  He was quite oblivious that while Richards came into the ring, Victoria was also there.

                Liz felt a fist collide with her back, and she fell to the ground easily.  The brunette looked up to see Victoria smirking down at her as she grabbed a handful of Liz's hair.  Liz, too weak to resist, stared into the ring as Victoria pulled her to the ramp and lifted her onto her shoulders.  Liz gave out a cry of pain as her back slammed relentlessly against the steel.  She arched her back, clutching at it weakly.  Soon, Victoria lifted her to her feet and rolled her into the ring.  Richards had let go of the chair and started his way to the back.  

                Liz clutched at the mat, balling the fabric between her hands as she continued to breathe heavily, blinking the sweat away from her eyes.  She was hardly aware of the ref shouting to her if she wanted to forfeit; she was only aware of shaking her head over and over.  Jazz ignored the ref's shouting to Liz and stomped her boots into Liz's back, each kick emitting a yelp of pain from the Champion.  Jazz took a quick look at Liz.  She looked delirious, the sweat pouring down her face, the glazed eyes…  Jazz lifted Liz up, giving her own grunt of pain as she delivered a backbreaker to Liz.  She clutched her shoulder in pain as she pressed Liz's shoulders against the mat.

                1…2…Just as the ref's hand went down for the three, Liz rolled to her stomach, clenching her teeth in pain.  Jazz cursed in anger as she grabbed Liz to her feet once again, throwing her into the ropes.  

                Victoria growled as she heard the fans cheering.  She turned from her spot at the top of the ramp to see Liz spear Jazz, and watch them both fall to the ground in pain.  Victoria jogged back down, calling Richards from the curtains as she did so.  She bared her teeth as she found the chair that Richards had dropped.  Liz and Jazz finally made it to their feet.  The ref saw Richards and fell for it once again.  He screamed at Richards, telling him to go to the back.  Jazz tried to whip Liz to the ropes once more.  Victoria leapt up on the apron, pulling the chair back for a hard swing.  Liz reversed the hold, and instead of Victoria blasting the chair into her injured back, she slammed it into Jazz.  Liz dropped to her knees, wincing at the pain in her back.  Hearing the chair shot, Richards thought the job was done and went backstage once again.  Victoria followed angrily as Liz stumbled to Jazz, pinning her.

                1…2…Jazz painfully set her foot on the ropes, but the ref didn't see it…3!  As Liz pushed herself to her feet with help from the ropes, Jazz's foot fell to the mat.  Liz held her title proudly over her head, hardly managing to stand.  She slowly rolled out of the ring.  As her music throbbed from the speakers, Liz stepped up the ramp.  Her vision swam with pain as she staggered up the ramp.  Once behind the curtains, she leaned against the wall, her eyes closing.  When she reopened them, Jeff was carrying her to the doctor, casting concerned glances down at her.  Confused, Liz closed her eyes once more, trying to ignore the pain.

*                              *                              *                              *                              *                              *                              *                              *

A/N:  Hope you liked it!  Sorry the stair-thing wasn't that realistic, but I had to do something drastic!  Anyway, review please!!


	9. Chapter IX : Out of Mind

A/N:  Hi everyone!  No track practice today!  I just finished Chapter 8, so I figured as long as I have the time, I minus well start this chapter.  Now, this chapter is kind of unrealistic, but please ignore it because it really is necessary.  And yeah, I think it's going to be shorter than usual.  I'm sorry its been taking so long to update.  Right now I haven't even gotten chapter 7 uploaded because this site isn't responding, so…  Anyway, please, please review.  I'll start the next chapter once I get about 4 or 5 reviews (including the ones from chapters 7 and 8).  Thank you in advance.  Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer:  I own nothing.  N-O-T-H-I-N-G.  Got it?

Started:  4 – 9 – 03 

*                       *                       *                       *                       *                       *           

= Dangerous Business=

            =Chapter 9 – Decision=

            =SMACKDOWN! =

            =9:49 P.M=

            Liz stared at the doctor as he scurried around, muttering to himself.  Sighing, Liz decided she should probably apologize.  When the doctor had insisted she go to a hospital, she had fought him – verbally – until the relentless doctor decided to bend to her will, only after forcing several pills down her throat.  The brunette was grateful to the doctor.  Her back throbbed painfully, but the painkillers were doing their thing.  She knew that the painkillers wouldn't make all the pain go away, still, it took away her "delirious" state.  Jeff said on the bed next to her, picking at the skin on his fingers.  Liz knew he wasn't happy with her choice not to go to the doctor, but Jeff relented.  

            "Can I wrestle?" questioned Liz as the doctor returned, shining the light into her eyes again.  He sighed, dropping the light back into his pocket. 

            "If you rest all weekend, and go see a doctor about that back…" he started, and then sighed once more.  "I don't know for sure.  You might've slipped a few discs in your back, that kind of thing.  Then again, you could've cracked part of your spine.  I doubt the latter, but it could be."

            "And the answer to my question would be?" she asked, crossing her arms across her chest, a pleading look in her eyes.  The doctor rolled his eyes, thinking out his answer before speaking. 

            "If you rest and check it out with your doctor, then yes."  Liz smiled happily, but her smile seemed pained.  "And I mean it," he said, remembering what her cousin had told him before, "You have to talk to your doctor ASAP!" 

            "Okay," said Liz sincerely.  "I will."  Her gaze traveled to the doorway.  "Hey Adam!" she said, tilting her head.  "Shouldn't you be in your match?" 

            "I'm just heading out there," he explained, "Big Show's match ran a little later.  Just stopped by to see how you're doing."

            "I'm okay," Liz lied.  Her back still stung and burned, causing her to wince all the while, but she didn't want anyone's pity.  She paused, thinking for a second, "Hey, doc!" the doctor cocked his head, "Can I go out to the ring?" she ignored Jeff's angry gaze, but continued, "Not to wrestle or anything, just to valet!  I won't step a foot in the ring!"

            The doctor opened his mouth, but Jeff downed his voice out, "VALET?" he cried, "You can hardly stand!  And have you forgotten who this match is against?  You are NOT going out there!" 

            Liz looked up at him pleadingly, "Please, Jeff!  I promise I won't wrestle or even touch Austin!" She locked her jade eyes on Jeff.  Jeff shifted his feet awkwardly.  Liz caught his hesitation, "I promise, Jeff!  And if Austin comes after me I'll run!  Or…or come backstage!  C'mon Jeff, please!" 

            "Fine," he grumbled, "Just stay out of the match, no matter what, ya hear?" 

            Liz nodded, and slipped off of the bed to hug Jeff.  He returned the hug.  Liz turned to the doctor, who shrugged and echoed Jeff's words.  Liz let out a cry of joy and walked to the door, trying not to show them any signs of pain in her throbbing back.  

            "Hey Adam," she informed him as if he was deaf, "I'm going to valet for you."

            "I'll let myself know," he replied.  Liz stared up at him.  Judging by the frown twitching at the corner of his mouth, he didn't think that it was a good idea, but at least he let her come.  Jeff stared at Adam for a second, and an unseen message traveled through their gazes.  "Let's go," Adam said to Liz as Austin's music sounded.  

            "Good luck Adam," Jeff called after them, "Be careful, Liz!" 

            Adam looked down at Liz, catching her wince every so often as they fast-walked to the ring.  "You lied," he stated simply.  His friend stared back wryly and offered no answer as Edge's music played.  

            "Good luck," she whispered.  

            "Luck?" replied Adam with a laugh, remembering an age-long joke between them, "I don't need luck."

            "Arrogant Canadian," she muttered under her breath.  

            "Arrogant and proud," he corrected, walking through the curtains.  Liz shook her head quietly, and then followed Edge to the ring.  As she walked down the ramp, she felt the pain in her back worsen, but ignored it still, besides once in a while clutching at it and wincing.  From the ring, Austin tossed her a smirk, sending her nerves off.  Liz calmed herself, clutching her title as she stood by the apron.

-                       -                       -                       -                       -                       -                       -                       -

            "Did you see that bruise on her back?" cried King as the match continued, "She shouldn't be out there!"

            "I agree," replied J.R. quietly, "I'm surprised that she's not in the hospital right now…" he murmured, almost to himself.

            Liz slapped the mat, biting her tongue not to yelp at the stinging pain the motion caused.  Austin leered at her as he lifted Adam again, tossing him at the ropes and attacking him with a fury of punches.  The brunette glowered at Austin.  So far, 5 minutes had past, and Austin had been in control for most of it.  Liz closed her eyes in disgust as Austin gave Edge a Full Nelson.  But soon, Edge was back on his feet, and fighting back.  Liz cheered him on.  Austin reeled back from a punch, near the ropes. Edge backed off, and charged back at Austin in a spear, but Austin grabbed his head and sent him flying through the middle rope.  As Edge hit the ground, Liz knelt next to him, asking if he was okay.  Edge mumbled something under his breath as Austin slid out of the ring.  He glared at Liz, and slowly rolled Edge into the ring.  He lingered outside, still glaring at Liz, taunting her, practically begging her to hit him.  Liz remembered her promised to Jeff, and stayed silent.  Austin laughed in her face and flicked her off before sliding into the ring. 

            Through the rest of the match, Edge gained the momentum fewer times, but he still struggled back every time.  Liz could tell he – and the Rattlesnake – were becoming wearier with every suplex, every punch.  But now both men were down, but slowly struggling to their feet.  Liz pounded on the mat once again, sending volts of pain down her back.  Austin slammed his foot into Edge's gut and delivered the Stone Cold Stunner.  

            1…2…3!  Liz groaned and swore.  She waited for her father to get out of the ring so she could check on her friend, but Austin didn't move.  He threw the ref over the ropes when he got in the way as he attacked Edge.  Liz shouted at him from the apron, but Austin continued his assault.  He seemed to be taunting her with every punch.  The brunette growled, thinking once again of her promise.  Finally, she rushed to Garcia, grabbing her chair and sliding into the ring with it.  Liz slapped the chair to the mat, alerting the Rattlesnake.  She lifted the chair quickly and swung, but her dad ducked and rolled out of the ring.  Liz dropped the chair, yelling after Austin, who yelled back at her.  Liz growled and, after making sure Edge was all right, demanded a mike from the people drifting on the outside.  Garcia handed her one, and Liz took it angrily.

            "Hey Austin!" she shouted as he turned to leave.  Austin slowly turned back to face her, an annoyed expression on his face.  "You wanna know what the type of match we're having on Sunday?" Austin jerked his head.  "In 3 days, at Armageddon, there will be the first-ever father versus daughter match," the fans cheered, and Liz narrowed her eyes at Austin.  The truth was, she hadn't really chose.  But she had to.  Almost immediately, images of Jeff, Rob, Amy, and Adam flashed in her head.  She shouted the finishing statement of her announcement, "in Hell in a Cell!" she cried.  Austin stared at her in shock, and Liz focused her angry eyes on him.  The fans roared.

            "Oh my God, J.R.!  Does she know what she just got herself into?" cried King as the final minute of the show ended.  

            "I don't know, King," replied J.R., "All I know is that Armageddon this Sunday just got a whole lot more interesting…"

*                       *                       *                       *                       *                       *

-           -           -           TO BE CONTINUED             -           -           -           

*                       *                       *                       *                       *                       *

A/N:  Sorry it was so dang short!  I needed to get it done because my dad needs the computer.  Hope you guys liked it!  Please, please review!

Finished:  4 – 9 – 03 


	10. Chapter X : Maternal Instinct

A/N:  Okay, so I lied.  This chapter will be from the taping of Smackdown on Wednesday to Armageddon.  I haven't been into wrestling for ages or anything, and I can't get pay-per-view, so I'm not quite sure of how you win Hell-in-a-Cell.  I think I know, but I'd feel more confident if someone told me.  Anyway, hope you enjoy this boring chapter…

Disclaimer:  I don't own anything.  

Started:  4 – 13 – 03 

/                       /                       /                       /                       /                       /                       /

            Dangerous Business

            Chapter 10 – Friends

            Liz shifted on the leather couch of her hotel room, cursing her aching back.  She blinked her eyes open and saw the credits to some movie she and Rob had rented – that was extremely stupid, no matter what the critics had said – rolling past.  Liz lifted the pillow off Rob's lap to see that he, too, had fallen asleep during the movie.  The brunette sighed to herself, looking down at her watch.  It was 9:00 on a Friday night, 2 days since the taping of Smackdown and her back still hurt.  Liz sighed, her doctor's voice echoing around her head as she searched for the orange pill bottle.

            "You can wrestle, but if you take one bad fall – you'll be out for at the least a month or two."  The Diva's eyes settled on a small pile of ten or so cards from her friends – get-well cards and good-luck cards.  Just as soon, a loud rapping on the door jarred RVD awake.  He grumbled something incoherently as Liz opened the door, revealing some of the wrestlers.  HBK stood in front of them, tapping his foot.  

            "Hey Shawn," Liz said, trying to keep the surprise out of her voice.  She had met Shawn a few times backstage – and he seemed like a nice guy.  

            "Hey," he responded, "Me and some of the guys," he motioned to the others behind him, "Were going to go out clubbing.  You and Rob want to come?"

            "What makes you think Rob is here?" she asked, raising her eyebrow, knowing that Shawn couldn't see inside the dark room.   

            Shawn rolled his eyes in response, "Where else would he be?"  Liz mock-scowled at him for a second.  "Gonna let us in, Smithy?" 

            Liz's gaze shifted behind him, studying the people behind him.  There was Adam, Jeff – with Trish hanging on to his arm –, Amy Dumas, and Shane Helms.  She grunted, opening the door.

            "Quite the cavewomen today, aren't we?" observed Adam as he filed in with the others.  Liz rolled her eyes, assessing her own dilemma: she didn't have anything to wear.  Sighing, she pried Trish away from Jeff.  She knew Trish pretty well, because of Jeff.  Trish lit up as Liz whispered to her.  The blonde Diva shouted something to the guys and dragged Liz to her room.

/                       /                       /                       /                       /                       /

            Liz tugged on the silver halter-top warily as she nursed a half-full mug of beer.  She glanced down at the matching silver pants that were pulled together by glittering gold string at the outsides of her legs.  She guessed it was at least midnight.  The group had gone to a few clubs, but now they had decided to go to this place to have a drink.  Liz forgot the name, but it was pretty nice.  Through the open silk curtains that formed a doorway, you could see the other half of the building, a nice diner.  The group had seated themselves at a large table on the "club/bar" half of the building.  Once they got there, Liz had sat down, frozen to her seat, telling the others that she was just tired from dancing.  Of course, they had bought it, after all, she had danced with just about everybody in their group twice – and Rob more than.  The real reason, however, was that her back had begun to ache once more, and she decided to rest it.  Shane and Adam were the only ones that remained at the large table.  Jeff and Trish had disappeared to have a private moment, and Shawn and Amy had dragged Rob to the dance floor, after much persuading by Liz.  Meanwhile, Adam and Shane were looking at the bar, or rather, at the women at the bar.  

            "She looks a little young to be at a bar," voiced Shane, motioning with his refilled glass to a blonde sitting at the bar, hunched over.  Liz followed his gaze, and her jaw dropped.  She felt the breeze of someone waving their hand in front of her face.  Irritated, Liz slapped Adam's hand away and walked toward the blonde.  She grasped her shoulder and swung her around.  As Liz had suspected, two sky blue eyes looked up at her.  

            "Dominique?" Liz said.  The blonde – Dominique – nodded.  Liz put her balled hands on her hips.

            "You're underage.  The family rooms are over there," she pointed to the other half of the room.  She definitely wondered what the 16-year-old was doing.

            "What family?" snapped Dominique readily, "A sister who's never home, another sister who runs away from everything, a mom who's too afraid to stand up for herself, and a dad who's – " Liz grabbed her sister's arm, pulling her away from the bar and into the parking lot, ignoring the chill wind that nipped at her.  

            "What'd your dad do?" she asked, her tone gentler this time.  She bit her lip in anger, thinking of her step-dad.

            "Nothing!" responded Dominique, shielding away from Liz.  

            "I may not be home all the time – but I still know when you're not yourself," Liz bit out.  The indirect insult bit at her sister, who slumped her shoulders quietly.  

            "He hit me again," she whispered quietly.  Liz stepped forward and hugged her tightly.  Her eyes had a faraway stare, her jaw clenched as Dominique pulled away.  On instinct, Liz lifted Dominique's shoulder-length, fairy-tale blonde hair up, and spotted the ugly, purplish bruise forming on her neck.  Liz stalked off, looking for her car.  "Don't!" yelped Dominique suddenly; knowing that Liz would've drove over to their house – seeing as it was not far from there.  "Just wait until after Sunday," she whispered.  Liz bowed her head, continuing to nibble on her lip.

            "You're not going back there," she responded warily.  "If you won't let me talk to Mark, then at least stay with me."

            "What?" Dominique's voice cried out eagerly.  Liz nodded at her.  She glanced at the bar's doorway, noticing a certain blonde Canadian raising her eyebrow at her.  Liz tugged on a strand of hair, and pointed to the ground.  Adam nodded and turned back.  Dominique whirled around.  "What was that about?" she questioned. 

            "Nothing'," responded Liz.  "I should be able to get some extra clothes for you so you don't have to go home," she told her sister.  

            "Hey, Qui!" Dominique turned around at her nickname to face her cousin.  "Jeff!" she cried eagerly, running to hug him.  Liz smiled as Jeff twirled Dominique around.

            "Want to met some of my friends?" he asked, raising his eyebrow.  Dominique looked around at Liz, who nodded her encouragement as the three jogged back into the building, glad to be out of the cold.

            Liz looked at her watch, yawning as the others talked.  Everyone had long since returned to their table, and had well risen to the task of cheering the friendly blonde up.  2:00 blinked back at her, causing her to yawn again.  

            "Tired?" asked Rob, who sat next to her.  She nodded.  "Hey guys," he said, gaining the full attention of the other wrestlers there, "Liz and I are going to head back, okay?" Liz saw Dominique sigh in disappointment, knowing that she would have to leave too.  

            "Hey, Qui," Liz said, "You can stay with them," she turned to Amy and Trish, "Bring her back safe and sound, okay?"

            "Yeah," replied Amy, bobbing her head energetically.  "Whatever."

            "I think you're rubbing off," Liz teased Rob as they walked away, arm-in-arm.  She heard Dominique comment on Rob, saying something about a half-brother.  Liz decided not to comment.  She ran her free arm through her hair, thinking about her family quietly.  

            "Hey," Rob said, nudging her with his arm.  "What's up?"

            "The sky," she retorted as she shoved the door open.  Rob stared at her face quietly.  Her lips were pressed against each other, her jade eyes glaring at something unknown.  He decided not to push it as they went into their separate cars and drove off to the hotel, ready for bed.

/                       /                       /                       /                       /                       /

            Liz woke up quietly, refusing to open her eyes.  The steady beating of Rob's heart beneath her ear had disappeared, along with the aforementioned.  She opened her eyes quickly, and shut them faster when the ceiling and hotel room spun nauseatingly.  

            "Hey," said Rob as he sat next to Liz on the bed, staring at Liz quietly, "C'mon…  You got to get movin'…  We'll be late as is!" Liz mumbled something, and Rob sighed, leaning backward, "Remember?  Me and the other guys are going to show you some ring stuff…" he trailed off, brushing a stray strand of hair off of the brunette's face.

            "I'll wait 'til it comes on DVD," she replied sleepily, closing her eyes, trying to sleep despite the lights that Rob had flicked on.  Rob sighed, and with an almighty tug, ripped the covers off of Liz.  She glared at Rob as she sat up, swearing under her breath as she looked around the room.  

            Besides the two queen-sized beds, there was a square wood table, two cushioned seats, and a small bathroom.  She vaguely remembered being woken up about 5 or 6 o'clock to be told that there was a water problem and they had to be moved to a smaller room down the hall.  The room itself was completely clean, besides the unmade beds and the small pile of luggage sitting in the small closet across from the bathroom.  

            "Hey Liz," a gentle voice called across the room.  Liz turned to see her sister, leaning out of the bathroom, a curling iron in her silky blonde hair.  Even from across the room, her sky blue eyes seemed to be as bright as ever.  Dominique had her hair in a ponytail, with two strands of hair hanging down, accenting her face.  She disappeared for a moment – wrapping up the iron – and reappeared seconds later, tossing Liz her duffel bag.  "C'mon!  Ya don't wanna be late!"

            "You just want to see Shane," Liz retorted, her eyelids heavy as she rummaged through her bag.  Sighing, she closed her eyes, grabbing the first few things that her hand grasped, and then headed into the bathroom to change.  A few minutes later, she came out, stuffing various items in her bag, and grabbing a gym bag out of the closet.  She was wearing light brown carpenter pants that flared at the edges, and a mid-riff revealing tank top that had "The more you disapprove, the more fun it is for me," scrawled across it in glittering silver letters.  "Let's go," she mumbled, grasping the keys to her car.

/                       /                       /                       /                       /                       /

            Liz made a perfect standing roundhouse kick, her nylon gym shorts swishing rapidly as she bounced her weight from foot to foot.  Jeff stood across from her, his knees slightly bent.  

            "Ready?" he said.  She nodded in reply.  Jeff and her grappled, and Jeff got the upper hand, wrapping her into a headlock.  She pressed her arms on his back and shoved him to the ropes.  Jeff bounded back and slipped through her legs.  He gave Liz a backwards 'monkey' flip, carefully as not to hurt her back.  The red ropes slammed into Liz's throat and she stumbled back, temporarily stunned.  "Here," he said, showing her the move.  She nodded, trying it out on Jeff.  Soon, the other superstars arrived, adding in their bits and pieces.  

            "Hey," Liz said, kneeling up on the mat after completely a successful "whisper in the wind", "Somebody ready for a match?"  Jeff shied away – he didn't want to take the chance of hurting his cousin.  Shawn responded with "I'm not going to hit a girl", and Rob said that he wouldn't fight her either.  Edge had sighed and volunteered himself for it.  It was an interesting match, to say the least.  Of course, neither tried the ways they would in a real ring.  It was Edge's strength and technicalities versus Liz's high-flying and evasive techniques.  

            Little known to the others, another superstar lurked near the exit.  He watched Liz and Edge carefully.  Liz went down from a full-body suxplex by Edge.  After a few snapped words to Edge, she rose with a withheld anger.  She became a highly trained machine…just like him.  Once the match was over, the superstar decided to leave, his bag high on his shoulder as the door banged shut.

            Jeff snapped his eyes to the exit only to see the hulking back of the retreating Brock Lesner.  His eyes narrowed in protectiveness, but Brock did not come back.  Slowly, he began to watch.  But he was a bit worried.  

            What was Brock doing there, watching his sister?

/                       /                       /                       /                       /                       /

A/N:  What a crappy chapter…  I promise the next chapter will be Armageddon!  Somebody just needs to tell me the rules of Hell-in-a-Cell so I can be sure that I'm not confusing it with something else.  Hope you liked this chapter, and please review!  


	11. Chapter XI : Divide and Conquer

A/N:  Thank you all so very much for all of the reviews!  They are greatly appreciated!  Please review this chapter too!  Anyway, hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer:  1st chapter.

Started:  Today.

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            Dangerous Business:  Chapter XI – Armageddon 

            Liz sighed, running a hand through her hair once again, a repetitive gesture.  She only had half an hour until Heat, and the beginning of the matches, started.  As she walked through the winding hallways of the backstage, she kept an eye out for anyone that would cause trouble.  She didn't want to get in a fight before her match.  While she walked, Liz mused over what people she had met backstage since joining the WWE.  There were the friendly wrestlers she had met – like HBK and Shane – and then there were people like HHH.  She had exchanged a few sharp words with him, mostly because he thought that she and Rob had cheated during their match to win.  

            Speak of the Devil.  As Liz started to round the next corner, she heard two distinct voices.  One belonged to HHH.  The other was Randy's.  She caught the remains of their conversation as she strode on, readying a remark to their comments.  As she approached, the two fell silent, HHH raising an eyebrow at her, and Randy looking extremely uncomfortable.  Liz stood in front of them, narrowing her eyes.

            "If Liz turned into a guy, no one would be confused," Randy had said, "She acts so much like one!"

            "Something you want to tell me…to my face?" she snapped.  Triple H simply stared at her, amused as she glared at him angrily, undaunted by him.  After a moment of silence, the brunette turned to Randy, "If you had balls, you'd have a match tonight," she snapped, then turned to HHH, "And if I did have balls, I'd be more of a man then you will ever be." Liz cocked her eyebrow at them, waiting for a response.  When none came, she rolled her eyes and continued walking down the hallways, her minor agitation ebbing.  

She walked into Jeff's locker room quietly, plopping her bag unceremoniously onto the floor, and then dropped onto the couch, staring at the ceiling, yawning to herself.  Amy had politely refused to come – she had to check in with her doctor again, Matt – luckily – couldn't come for some unknown reason (they didn't get along well), and Jeff was on his way to the arena, caught in traffic along with Dominique.  So, Liz sat, holed up in the room, watching Armageddon quietly.

            The first match was Christopher N., versus The Hurricane.  Liz rooted for Shane, but the match ended in DQ with Chris took out some brass knuckles and tried to rearrange Shane's face, to no avail.  The second match was Jazz versus Torrie Wilson for a shot at the Women's Title.  Liz watched carefully.  She wanted a rematch with Jazz, but she felt that Torrie deserved a lot more than Jazz.  Jazz won, but continued her assault on Torrie until the Diva couldn't stand.  Briefly, Liz considered going out, but she rejected her thoughts immediately.  Next match was for the Tag Team Championships.  It was Rob and Kane versus the Dudleys.  Liz watched the match intently until the bell rang.  After a hard, bloody battle, Rob and Kane had retained the championships.  As they lumbered backstage, Liz ran to the curtains to congratulate them, but then retired to the room again as Rob left for the showers.  The Women's Champion just made it back for the end of the fourth match – A-Train defeating Batista, only to be attacked by HHH and Randy.  The fifth match was Jeff Hardy – she was obviously rooting for Jeff – versus HHH.  Flair slipped into the ring – still with his bandages – and tried to clock Jeff in the head, but ended up hitting HHH, giving Jeff the win, but unfortunately the match wasn't for the championship.  Liz let out a howl of joy as Jeff raised his arms in victory. The sixth match was the Undertaker versus the Rock.  Liz watched, not really having a side.  Undertaker ended up beating Rock, but just by a little bit.  As she watched these matches, Liz wished that her match would never come.  But, as with everything we wish won't come, it came all too soon.  She tugged on some armbands that she was relatively fond of.  Wood – cheap wood, granted, but sturdy – spray-painted black and white – the left was black, the right was black – encircled her forearms in an intricate design.  Deciding for a different look, she tugged on some short-shorts, and a tank top that ended at about the middle of her rib cage.  Finally, she stuffed her feet into a pair of black boots and looked at herself in the reflection critically.  The outfit she had on was just like the armbands – black on the left, white on the right – and looked kind of like a ying-yang.  She was spared the choice to change, however, when the messenger pounded unceremoniously on the door. 

            "I'm coming!" she shouted, annoyed at the guy.  She shot the door open, slamming it into the guy's face with a satisfying crack.  "Watch where you're going!" she huffed at the guy, laughing to herself silently as she made her way to the ring, her face eventually hardening into a state of concentration as she reached the curtains, hardly noticing the camera following her as she thought about what she was going to do when the bell rang.

*                      -                       *                      -                       *

            The cage lowered slightly, and the two wrestlers watched it interestedly.  Liz stared at it oddly, remembering Shawn's warning about the steel searing flesh easily.  With that thought fresh in mind, she continued to watch the cage lower, until they both were locked inside – the equivalent of caged animals.  The ref slipped into the ring, and another one sealed the cage behind him as the ref told Liz to remove the armbands, which she did.  Liz turned to Austin warily, nerves jumping up her spine, but keeping a laid-back face, smiling as the crowd began to cheer.  The smile whipped off her face, however, when the bell rang.

            She never knew that that might be the last time she ever heard that bell ring.  

            "Ready to end that precious career of yours?" questioned Austin, an evil smile claiming his face.

            Liz scoffed in reply, "Bring it on, old man." 

            The two circled each other, sizing each other up.  They grappled – Austin overpowering Liz and putting her into a headlock.  Liz placed a hand behind his back and shoved him into the ropes, but Austin ducked her clothesline and bounced of the second rope.  Liz whirled around, bringing her foot up and smacking the inside of her boot into Austin's face.  Once she got her balance back, she turned to Austin, who was pushing himself onto his feet, peeved off.  Of course, he was always peeved off, so it didn't really matter, did it?  As Austin finally got to his feet, the two exchanged right hooks.  Austin got two punches in quickly, and picked up Liz.  A second later, Liz rolled to the mat – clutching her back from a perfectly executed back breaker.  She glowered at Austin as he grabbed her up by her hair, then moved his hand to the back of her head.  From the back-breaker the two stood near the cage.  Austin slammed Liz's head repeatedly into the steel until slivers of blood shined across her temple, and he released her, watching her fall to her knees.  As she fell, Liz placed her bottom foot against the rope.  While Austin watched her, she pushed off the rope.  She lowered her shoulder as she slammed into Austin, her shoulder digging into his stomach.  For good measure, she slapped his head around a couple times before giving him an actual punch, and standing up.  She grasped Austin's head, and quickly whipped him into a corner before he could counter.            Quickly she ran up to him, climbed the ropes swiftly with her feet, and slammed her boot into Austin's face.  As he went down, she angled her body towards his.  Quickly, he leapt to his feet.  Liz tried to sidekick him, but Austin caught her foot and spun her around.  Lifting her other foot, Liz tried to kick him again, but Austin caught it again, but this time pushed so she fell down.  He drove an elbow into the inside of her leg.  Liz winced at the painful tingling feeling in her leg as she forced herself to her feet.  Austin – almost in the center of the ring – grabbed Liz's head and tried to fling her into the steel cage.  Liz's arms – thrown up in defense – took the brunt of the impact as the steel ripped her skin.  After a few seconds of lying on the mat in pain, Liz was pulled off the canvas again.  Austin shoved her to the corner, and was running after her, anticipating her move.  Like he had suspected, Liz climbed the turnbuckle with her feet and performed "Whisper in the Wind".  Austin jerked himself to the ropes, and Liz – her target missed – skidded across the canvas.  Once again, she felt Austin yank her to her feet.  He kneed her in her ribs as she stood, so she bent over.  Stone Cold grabbed her head and gave her a DDT.  Instead of going for a pin, however, he lifted her up in a fireman's carry for a few seconds, before driving her to the mat.  Liz, however, landed a bit wrong, and instead of falling on her spine, she fell on her left shoulder blade.  J.R. was quick to point this out as he and King talked.

            1…2…Liz wriggled so her shoulders moved off the mat – just barely.  Austin growled, and yanked her up again, ready to use the cage to his advantage yet again.  He pushed her temple against the steel, and ferociously jerked her head back and forth.

            Liz almost yelped in pain as the steel ripped off more skin for her forehead.  She felt a drop of blood – one of the many now flowing freely – dance across her eyelash and slowly drop to the mat, and she was soon to join it.  The brunette cursed at herself, bushing the blood away from her eyes, wondering why she ever demanded this match in the first place.  Through her blood-blurred vision, she saw Austin's boots near her legs, him reaching out to pick her up again.  Liz stretched out her feet, locked them around Austin's, and pushed, driving him to the mat, moving out of his way.  Finally, she forced herself to her feet, and Austin was soon to follow.  Liz used her own version of "Sweet Chin Music" on Austin, happily watching him fall about as gracefully as a sack of potatoes.  She silently thanked HBK for teaching her that as she climbed the turnbuckle, waiting for Austin to get up.  As he stood up, Liz leapt from the ropes, giving him a Hurricarana.  Liz went for the pin.

            1…2, Austin jerked out of the pin.  Liz pulled him to his feet, and then delivered a Downward Spiral {A/N:  I think it's a Spinning DDT or something…}.  Liz darted to the turnbuckle, judging the distance to him, and leapt off, executing a moonsault.  Once again, she went for the pin, but it was a two count again.  Liz sighed.  The ache in her head was starting to make her slightly dizzy.  She pulled Austin up and pushed him to the ropes.  She was ready to try a side slam when Austin speared her and downed her with punches after she fell.  

            Almost five minutes later, the two superstars were a lot worse for the wear.  Stone Cold was limping and had a thick line of blood down the left side of his face.  Liz, however, was definitely worse.  Austin had taken advantage of her presently weak back, and attacked it relentlessly, leaving Liz essentially crippled.  The blood was still seeping from her forehead, and her arms.  Her back throbbed painfully, and so did her shoulder.  During a fall, she tried to spin out of it to land on her hands, but ended up crashing on her left shoulder.  On top of that, add two failed frog splashes, and her ribs ended up in the mix too.  But she still refused to be pinned.  

            Liz stood up slowly, staggered for a second, glancing across at Austin who was doing the same thing.  Again, she ran forward – this time without much force – and smashed her left shoulder into Austin's gut with a cry of pain, her own shoulder sending jolts of pain into herself.  Slowly, she dragged herself up to the turnbuckle.  She pushed herself off the turnbuckle, gaining tremendous height – curled herself into a ball and out – and slammed into Austin.  Liz rolled off him after, clutching at her stomach in pain as she went for the cover.

            1…2…Austin kicked out.  Liz dropped her head to the mat, looking up at the top of the steel cage, the spotlights blinding her, reminding her to move.  As she rolled to the right, she caught a glance of the steel ramp that she had happily walked down nine minutes ago.  Four figures trotted down to the ring.  Liz groaned – they were HHH, Randy, Batista, and Flair.  Her limbs stiffened as she realized what they had with them – a sledgehammer, gripped in Hunter's hand.  Liz looked quickly to the door – and realized it was bound shut.  She smiled smugly – until she looked back at the ref who stood at the door…with an axe to cut the chain at the end of the match.  The brunette fell back to the mat, her back making a loud thud as she did so.  2 words rang clearly through her head.

            _'Oh, shit.'_

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A/N:  Ha, ha, ha!  I finished!  Yeah!  This took forever and is currently at…2,334 words.  Well, now more than that, but hey!  I hope you liked it.  I'll try and update sooner, but you never know.  Please, please review!

,~'


	12. Chapter XII : Absolute Power

Author's Note:  I'm sorry to say that this may be the last chapter I write for a month or so.  Frankly, I've got my hands tied with my other wrestling story "Drawing In" and I need time to figure out where this story is going.  Thank you to Inferno, for the bolt cutter/axe part.  I forgot what they used, so I just put axe down.  But since you notified me, I changed the part on my hard drive and will hopefully remember to update the last chapter with it as soon as I upload this.  Anyway, **I BELIEVE that the next chapter (XIII) will be the one where I explain why Austin and Elizabeth hate each other**.  Oh, and, if you have time, could you guys check out "Through Glass Shards" for me?  I need to know whether I should be continuing it – but my computer won't let me see the reviews!  Sigh…  I'll try to get it to work, but meanwhile, I'll stop blabbing and continue with the STORY.  Review, as always!

Disclaimer:  I own Elizabeth Smith, and that's about it…

Started:  5-3-03

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Dangerous Business

_Chapter XII_

_            'They're just out to get Austin.  Right?  Right?' _Liz swallowed the blood that had been thickening in her throat and slowly crawled to the ropes – the ropes furthest from the cage.  She was too tired out to do anything as Evolution preceded down the ramp.  She knew that she hadn't really done anything to Evolution.  Oh sure – a win against Batista in a tag-team handicapped match, and a few sharp words – but that wasn't enough for them to come out to effectively end her career…_was it_?  She glanced at Austin, and a needle-sharp memory of his and Evolution's feud appeared in her head, and she breathed a sigh of relief.  They weren't out to get her…  

            The cage rattled.  Liz jerked her head to the door.  Since she had been panicking, Batista had destroyed the ref, and had the bolt cutters cutting.  Flair had grabbed a steel chair and was bouncing up and down on his heels, like a kid eager to get his candy.  As the door was opened, Liz pushed herself into a corner, trying to hide herself uselessly from Evolution.  She wanted to stand and fight them, but she knew that would only endanger her further.  As she had predicted, Batista and Randy attacked Austin who had been stumbling to get up.  They hadn't taken notice of Liz.  She slipped behind their vision, and watched Batista hold Austin back as Flair raised the chair, and then brought it crashing down onto Austin's skull, bringing a wince from Liz.  Flair left Batista and Randy to join HHH.  The two simultaneously turned to Liz.  She froze like a deer caught in headlights.  

            _'No…' _the thought was barely a whisper in her head as she slowly rose up, never tearing her gaze from Hunter's smile.  Various curses were mumbled through her mouth as she tried to make a decision, which was made all the harder by Flair, who was advancing, chair in tow.  Liz gathered her strength, and barreled toward Hunter, slamming her good shoulder into his ribs.  He snapped to the canvas sharply, and Liz staggered to her knees, feeling the whiplash of her attack.  Flair took a swing at her head, but she rolled out of the way quickly, and swept Flair's legs out from under him, sending the chair flying.  But by now, HHH had stood up, sledgehammer in hand.  

            The door jerked open again.  Liz turned to see HBK and Jeff rushing into the cage, punches flying at Evolution.  The brunette crawled to the chair.  There was just one little problem, in the form of a towering Batista grabbing her head.  Just as HBK delivered "Sweet Chin Music" to HHH, Batista swung Liz onto his shoulders.  As Jeff finished Flair off, HBK went to help Liz, but Randy got in his way.  

            Liz cried out in pain as her back slammed against the mat.  She pressed her face to the mat, trying to block out the pain to no avail.  By the time she looked up again, her cousin, Shawn, and her father were all bleeding heavily.  And – Liz noted – Hunter was bleeding slightly too.  Okay, so maybe that wasn't good.  She pushed herself to her feet.

            Finding herself staring at HHH again, Liz tried to figure out why they were going after her.  There fight was with Austin – not her!  If anything, she'd be more useful being aligned with them then destroyed…  From behind, Flair slammed his fist into her back, sending her stumbling forward.  Hunter raised the sledgehammer and slammed it into her ribcage.  The brunette crumpled to the ground instantly, blood spurting out her mouth.  Her eyes wide with pain, she tried weakly to spit out the thick blood that coated her throat.  She barely felt Flair pull her up to her knees, choking her with the ropes.  

            Liz did nothing to silence the yell that she emitted when Hunter slammed the sledgehammer into her back.  Her labored breathing began to slow as she slowly slipped off the ropes, like water rolling down a wall.  Time seemed to stop as her eyes glazed over with pain, as the pain began to knock her out, as she couldn't draw any more breath, as Flair cracked the chair into Austin repeatedly…  

            And as Hunter stood over her, smiling down at her.  

            HHH looked down at the brunette.  Her eyes seemed to have a white coating over them, and she was shaking as blood overflowed her mouth.  Hunter bent down and whispered in her ear.

            "You were born with the wrong father."  

            Liz felt her confusion build, but she could hardly act with the pain racking her body.  She couldn't move…she couldn't breathe…  What use was there in ending _her_ career?  Austin hated her anyway, and that would probably just joy him!      

            "What…goes around…comes…around," she managed to whisper.  Hunter jerked back, looking down at the brunette.  Her glazed eyes held their promise, even as her body slowly went limp on the mat.  He stepped back, ignoring the commentators' angry voices, and looked around the ring.  He slowly picked up the sledgehammer and set it onto Liz's almost unmoving chest as he and Evolution exited the cage calmly.  Batista and Randy were menacingly stopping the medical personal from reaching the ring.  Hunter and Flair slowly sauntered backstage, reveling in the glares thrown at them.  That is, until a certain Rob Van Dam found it his place to decimate both of them with a chair.  

            Back in the arena, the crowd booed continually as the screen repeated Evolution's doings and as Batista and Randy continued to block the medicals' way.  Randy laughed and taunted them happily, until he noticed that Batista was gone from his side, and the ramp was shaking.  Randy whipped around…straight into an F-5.  The medicals rushed forward as Brock Lesner watched from his spot on the middle of the ramp.  

            "What is Brock Lesner doing here King?" J.R wondered.

            "I don't know, but I'm sure glad that he's here!" responded King.  

            "Me too," whispered J.R.

            Brock continued to watch as the medicals lifted Liz's limp body onto a stretcher.  A bloody Jeff Hardy waved away the rest of the medics as he lumbered uselessly after Liz.  Feeling that it was not his place, Brock slowly made his way up the ramp, met by a ferocious and panicked looking RVD.  Brock walked swiftly past Rob, ignoring the man's curious stares.  In the back of his mind, Brock remembered that Rob had been banned from ringside – and if he went, his job as well as Liz's would cease.  Of course, Liz's career was probably already decimated…  The blonde's anger rose as he thought about Evolution.  HHH – in particular…  He had done it again – ruined another career without any purpose – more pacifically, Liz's.  He was a monster; a bug, fit to be squashed…  Brock looked around suddenly.  Wondering about what was happening – what had happened – wouldn't do any good.  Neither would destroying what was left of Evolution, what was on his mind.  But it would sure make him feel a hell of a lot better, he reasoned, starting to scour the premises.   

            As he followed the medics closely, Jeff pressed a towel to his bloody forehead.  HBK trailed even further behind, limping slightly.  Rob was locked intensely to Liz's side, and frankly wouldn't move until they reached the ambulance.  As Jeff boarded it, his hand fell from Liz's hand limply to his side.  Rob ran to his car, intent on following the ambulance.  

HBK stood, watching this, a sad look plastered to his face.  He had seen the scene before him far too many times…  Shawn sighed, worried for his friend.  But at the same time – he couldn't help but wonder – was this what he returned to the WWE for?  Shaking his head, Shawn retreated backstage.  He knew he – or anyone else – wouldn't be able to see Liz for quite a while.  

            He would know.  He'd been through it.  As he walked backstage, he thought deeper into Hunter's actions.  Hunter himself wasn't that much of a mastermind, and it was obvious that Flair formed the plan…  So why did it seem to help the Rattlesnake?  No, he was obviously missing something.  Flair would never do something like this for a reason…  Shawn just had to figure out why.

            He never thought the answer would be so simple for him to miss.

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A/N:  That was the shortest chapter in this story so far, I believe.  I'm sorry if it sucked, but I did this over a long period of time.  Sorry!  Please review!  


	13. Chapter XIII : Family

A/N:  Hi everyone!  I'm back!  So many things have been going on its been hard to try and update!  When I do, I usually never finish in one sitting, so the feeling is kind of…gone.  But I'm going to try my best this weekend.  Busy weekend though…  I've gotten a few more ideas for this story, which is pretty good, but here's the point where it gets a bit slower.  Here are two hints for two of my ideas: The Big Show and Matt Hardy.  – Evil laugh – You'll have to wait to see it.  Anyway, please continue to review.

Disclaimer:  I own Elizabeth Smith and the Smith family.  That's it…I think.  

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Dangerous Business

Chapter XIII

                The sun rose slowly over the horizon, its rays brightening the towering white hospital building.  Birds chirped happily, bursting from one evergreen to the other.  Even though it was still winter, the earth had no insight, and was intent upon acting as if it was spring.  

                Dominique Smith opened her eyes warily.  For a moment she forgot why exactly her arms were draped over a metal railing and tingling painfully.  As soon as she remembered, she wanted to forget.  Avoiding any glance at the hospital bed, she made her way to the closed curtains, and opened them, shedding the sunlight into the room.  She stared out of the window, wondering why the world outside could be so cheerful on a day like this, until she gathered her strength to look around the room.  There was the hospital bed, for one.  The blond stared at her sister, butterflies chomping at her side with nausea.  Liz laid there, several tubes attached to her body, frighteningly pale.  She looked so weak, so vulnerable…  In the room were two puffy chairs, a TV on a stand near the far wall, and a small table next to the hospital bed.  The rest was complete emptiness.  One of the brown chairs was pulled up next to her sister – where Dominique had spent the night – and the other was by the wall, which wasn't that far from the bed anyway.  Jeff was curled up into a small ball, sleeping peacefully.  Dominique smiled wanly.  She vaguely remembered what the doctors had said – frankly, none of it made sense to her, but she remembered the part that they stated clearly.  One year before she could do anything active.  That wouldn't go over well with Liz.  She was about the most active girl Dominique could think of.  Sighing, Dominique walked around the room, trying to get the feeling back in her arms and feet.  At first, the doctors had been worried that one of the ribs that had been snapped pierced one of her organs, but that didn't happen.  It had only been two nights since, and Liz had been unconscious for a while, and then she had fallen asleep.  A mumble caught Dominique's ear, however, and she turned to face the hospital bed, quickly sitting down on the chair next to it.

                "Hey," Liz said weakly.  Dominique smiled weakly again and intertwined her fingers with Liz's.

                "I'm here," she whispered.  Liz squeezed her hand lightly.

                "Did it look as bad as it hurt?" she said, her voice sounding sore and scratchy.  Dominique nodded slightly, tears springing to her eyes.  "Don't cry," she commanded, "If you're going to cry, go find someplace else to."  She scowled, "I mean it, Que.  Just because I'm here is no reason to cry.  It's a reason to kick someone's a-" she was interrupted by a loud moan from Jeff.  Liz laughed weakly, "You're back is going to hurt as much as mine if you keep on sleeping like that," she informed him brightly.

                "You sound like you want that to happen," he mumbled sleepily.  

                She pouted as she replied, "It's not like there's anything else entertaining in here," she pointed out, wincing as she struggled to sit up.  In the end, she flopped back to the bed in defeat.  "This is going to be a LONG two weeks!" she stated, pouting again, trying desperately trying to hide the immense pain in her back.

                "It's going to be a long year," Jeff whispered to himself.

*                              -                               *                              -                               *

FOURTEEN MONTHS LATER

*                              -                               *                              -                               *

                "AH!" the shrill scream echoed through the homey, two-story house.  Almost immediately following the shout was the distinct noise of two females giggling.  In the kitchen, the tiled floor was covered in flour.  Liz stooped down, her face and clothes streaked with the white power.  Her mother squatted next to her, staring at a half of the burlap sack that used to hold the flour.

                "I think we need some more flour," her mother, Lee, said, trying to keep a straight face as she gently tugged the sack free of the pile.  Simultaneously, the two burst into laughter.  Lee's dark brown, curly hair tugged free of her loose ponytail and fell over her shoulders, accenting her gray/blue eyes.  Liz sat cross-legged in the mess and leaned back on her elbows.  

                "…We better not have to clean this up," she stated, casting a wary eye along the huge mess in the kitchen.  

                "Nah, Jinx and Jaxx will pick it up," Lee said, referring to their two Dobermans.  The two were currently roaming the yard, bouncing and playing.  Liz smiled lightly.

                "Ah, our little Dirt Devils," she responded, pushing herself to her feet.   She surveyed the mess, "Well, we're obviously going to be short of desert, but at least we have some baked chicken!" her smile fell sharply as they both looked at the black oven.  Lee jerked the handle, and the two had to cough away the steam.  They looked at the chicken again.  

                "I, uh, guess we're eating out tonight," Lee winced.  The door swung open, and a gust of wind swept through.  Dominique pulled her baseball cap tighter over her blond hair as she walked in, not seeing the mess over the counter, while she smoothed out her low-rider jeans.  

                "Hi guys!" Dominique cried, and then sniffed, wrinkling her nose, "What smells so bad?"

                "Dinner," Liz choked out as Lee stood up beside her.  Seeing their flour-streaked bodies, Dominique laughed as Jeff entered through the door behind her.          

                "Hey," he tossed his keys onto the round table, and then looked at Liz and his aunt.  "I knew you guys were bad cooks," he began, "But I didn't know you were THIS bad!"  The Wrestling Federation was in town, so Jeff and Dominique – who had been traveling with Jeff – had planned to stop by to have dinner with Liz and Lee.    

                "Hey Jeff, Dominique!" Lee cried out, carefully hugging each of them so that they wouldn't get flour on them too.  

                "Hi," Liz said as she padded along the kitchen, leaving white footprints on the decorated tiles as she traveled near the other end of the kitchen and opened the sliding door.  Jinx and Jaxx went full-speed in, tails wagging, until they hit the floor, landing on it in a heap.  

                Dominique watched all of this, her eyebrow cocked, "Why don't you two get cleaned up and then us four go to dinner somewhere, 'cause we has to leave for Boston by midnight."

                "Yeah," Jeff bopped his head, "Is there an airport around here?"

                "Can't you drive?" Liz asked, brushing her hair with her fingers as Lee disappeared up the beige carpeted stairs to the shower.  

                "We're in Grand Blanc, MICHIGAN," Jeff looked at her, rolling his eyes, "It would be a bit of a long ride, huh?"  Suddenly remembering something, he reached into the blue backpack that he had been holding, and tossed Liz a letter.  "From Rob," he explained, and Liz nodded, setting it onto the clean kitchen table.  

                "Go get changed," Dominique ordered, walking into the kitchen, "We'll clean this up."

                "We?" Jeff had a horrified look on his face.  

                "Yes, Jeff," Dominique growled, "WE."  Finally, she looked at the two dogs, covered in white powder and groaned, shaking her head.

*                              *                              *                              *                              *

                Liz sighed, looking around her room quietly.  The walls were painted delicate lavender and the carpet was white, but just about the softest thing Liz could think of.  The room was a pretty nice size.  The bed sat opposite of the large window, covered by dark violet sheets at the moment.  On the opposite side of the bed – the one without the door – was the rather large closet.  A few feet from the door sat the oak wood dresser, which was cluttered with several things.  Slowly, Liz took out her earrings, took off her cross necklace, and let her hair loose from the ponytail.  She quickly undressed and slipped into a pair of soccer shorts and a large Mall of America T-shirt.  As she looked into her drawer, she caught sight of the black WWE T-shirt that had been rolled into a ball.  She took it out, staring at it oddly, before dropping it onto the carpet, lying down on the bed, and slipping under the covers.  

                Liz stared up at the glow in the dark stars and comets on her ceiling as she thought laboriously.  Did she really want to go back to wrestling?  She closed her eyes tightly.  There was just so much that she hated about it, and so much that she loved.  The brunette flipped to her stomach, pressing her face to her pillow.  Just as soon, there came a clawing at the door.  Liz smiled sleepily as she moved to open the door, revealing Jinx.  Liz let her in and went back to bed.  Soon after, Jinx jumped onto her bed, curling next to her feet.  The brunette smiled wanly at the dog, and then glanced up as the door swung on its hinges again, revealing Jeff and Dominique, each dressed and ready to leave.  Liz immediately sat up crossed-legged and faced Dominique as she sat on the other end of the end.  Jeff sat on an empty part of the dresser.  

                "Hey guys," Liz said, yawning, "Weren't you guys supposed to be headed to Metro soon??"  

                "Yeah…" Jeff said pointedly, directed at Dominique, who rolled her eyes at him, and then turned back to Liz.  

                "I have to tell you something," she announced quietly, so she wouldn't wake Lee up, "But you have to promise that you won't be angry…"

                Liz shook her head, her brown hair drawing across her face, "I can't do that Dominique.  I'll try, though," she added.  Any other day, Liz would have agreed.  But she noticed the tiny details in her sister that said that what she wanted to tell Liz had the potential to make her furious.  Her eyes where skittish, her hands balled into fists, clutching parts of the blanket, and a few other things.  

                "I guess that'll have to do," replied Dominique, pressing her lips together, looking down at her white hands, "As of next week on RAW in Boston, I'm going to be Jeff's valet to the ring," she whispered.  Liz was pretty sure she felt her jaw drop open.  Dominique had come to her in the WWE to get away from her father (who was currently in the Navy, God knows where…) but Liz had never considered that Dominique had liked the WWE enough to be a part of it.  

                Liz paused before answering, "Now you have to promise me you won't get angry," her sister nodded, and Liz continued, "You have considered that you could really get hurt doing this, right?"  Dominique tried to keep the anger away, and jerkily nodded.

                "I know," her voice sounded threateningly close to a growl.

                "You know the fact you'll hardly get to see your family, and you'll be traveling a ton?"

                "Yes," her voice had definitely dropped to a growl by now. 

                "Then good for you," replied Liz, giving Dominique a weak smile, "If this is what you really want, I'm glad you're doing it."

                Dominique let out the breath she didn't know she was holding out.  "Thank you…  I was really worried that you'd blow up on me.  You know, tell me not to do this and that I'm stupid for it…" 

                "I would never do that," retorted Liz truthfully.  "Stop being nervous.  You can't be nervous in this line of work."  She smiled genuinely at Dominique, "Call me, and I'll tell you what you need to do.  Don't trust what Stacey says either – she's too dumb to know that it doesn't work."  Dominique bobbed her head in reply.

                "We better get going," Jeff announced bluntly, "Vince doesn't take kindly to people not getting there on time…"

                "Yeah, yeah, yeah," muttered Liz, "See you guys later!"  She gave each of them a hug, and watched the door long before they had left.  She glanced at her nightstand, at the clock.  "Only 10?" she asked to herself, shaking her head.  Just as she did so, her silver cell phone on the nightstand vibrated, and sent off a random tune.  Liz caught the phone before it fell off and opened it.

                "'Lo?" she muttered into the phone.

                "Elizabeth?"

                "Yes…"

                "Sorry if I interrupted what you're doing right now.  I mean…  I understand if you can't talk or if – "

                "WHO is this?" Liz cut off.

                "Your father."  Liz reached a hand up to cut off the signal.

                "Wait!  Just – Just give me a few minutes!"

                "3 minutes," Liz said sternly after consideration, "And that's it."

                "Listen, I just want to talk to you for awhile…in person.  Look, I know you probably are going to explode in my face but please just give me a chance!  Please!  I just want to explain…"

                "Go ahead."

                "In person?"

                Liz sighed, sitting down on her bed.  "Where are you now?"

                "In still in Grand Rapids…  I've got this RAW off."

                "Fine," Liz muttered icily, "I'll listen to your sob story, but I'm not promising that I won't bail on you after you've said your part, I'm just promising that I will listen.  That's it.  Nothing else," she sighed, her grip slipping on the cell phone.  She clutched it closer to her ear.  "Got it?"

                "All right," was the sighed response.  Liz sleepily muttered the name of a café midway between Grand Blanc and Grand Rapids.  Immediately after, he hung up.  Liz stared at the phone for a second, shrugged, and hung up, setting it back on the dresser.  Not awake enough to ponder about her father, Liz slipped off into sleep.  She didn't even hear the distinct sound of the rustling gravel or the creaking front door as her stepfather came home.

*                              -                               *                              -                               *

A/N:  I'm sorry that this was kind of boring, and I'm sorry it took so long to update.  However – good news comes!  There is no longer track and only a week or two of school left!  Updates will go up more often now!  I've been trying to move this story on, to somehow end the big part with Austin, because I'm frankly sick of it, so I think he's going to gradually fade out.  I think there might only be one more chapter after this before it gets interesting again.  Bear with me!  Oh, and please check out Through Glass Shards for me!  REVIEW!


	14. Chapter XIV : Bane

Author's Note:  I'm sorry it took a while to update!  I've been busy with a few new stories…  Speaking of which will you guys check out "Tears of Tomorrow" and "Waterfall" for me?  "Waterfall" is probably going to be on chapter 2 or close to it by the time I post this…  Anyway, please review! 

Disclaimer:  1st chapter. 

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Dangerous Business

Chapter XIV

                Liz sleepily shuffled into the kitchen, the lavender fuzzy slippers making odd noises on the clean tile floor.  She sighed, looking outside quietly.  The winter had finally come to an end, it was May now, and just about every bird was celebrating, and on the Smith's bird feeder, it appeared.  Liz smirked, grabbing a bowl, milk, spoon, and Cheerios from various cabinets and sitting at the kitchen table, sniffling slightly at the cold she had gotten a few days ago.  The brunette tugged off her hair tie, and then started to laboriously chomp on her cereal.  Jinx was present, begging at her feet, but her partner-in-crime was nowhere to be seen.  Liz smiled at the Doberman, slipping her a handful of the cereal from the box.  

                "That could be really unhealthy for a dog," said a stern voice.  Liz froze, the smile smacked off her face.  She slowly turned around, to face her stepfather.  Living up to his standards, even in the morning, he was wearing a clean-cut suit, briefcase in hand.  "Hello, honey," he added.  Liz couldn't help but let her upper lip curl in disgust.

                "I'm not your honey, I'm not your daughter and don't you dare call me 'honey' again," she snapped coldly, closing the box of Cheerios and standing up.  She grabbed the box and stuffed it into a cabinet.  "And as for the dogs, they're mine and Mom's, not yours, and they're our responsibilities," she turned, "Unlike you, we care for people and animals, too."  Mark caught the intended insult.

                "You think I don't love your mother?" he howled, "I love her to pieces, and I'll love these damn mutts too if that makes her happy!"  Liz dropped her head, the hardness coming to her eyes; her hands wide open at her sides, her stance parallel to his.

                "How about Dominique?" her voice was as angry and cold as his was loud, yet her voice came quietly as she tilted her head, "Do you love her too?"

                "I love everyone in this family!  I've tried to love you too but you seem to hate me!" Mark growled in reply, hoping that his wife wouldn't come prancing in on this argument.  

                "You love her so much you just decided to beat her out of this house?" Liz said, her form rigid, "I tried to be civil to you," her voice slowly rose higher, "You tried to take over the role of my father.  Understand this, bastard, you'll never, EVER, be my father!!  My father would never, ever, hit Dominique!  He would never – "

                "Shut the FUCK up!" his face turned beet red in anger as he advanced on her, grabbing the shirt of her pajamas and pinning her to the wall.  "You tell your mother and I'll beat you until you're groveling at my knees."                  

                "Hey Mark," she choked out, her hands gripping firmly around his wrist, "Looks like you're never going to have children again."

                "Huh?" he looked confused, until her leg shot out quickly, catching him in the groin.  She spun around, her body twisting into a roundhouse kick to his chest.  He fell like a sack of potatoes, slamming to the floor.  His neck snapped to the ground as he hit it.  Liz glared at his balled up body, and sneered.  She walked up the stairs, but saved one last parting comment for him.

                "Can't talk to you now, Gramps," she said as she traveled upstairs.  "I'm going to talk to my Daddy."  As Liz quickly got ready, Mark crawled to his feet.  When she bounded down the stairs and passed him, he angrily yelled at her.

                "You're not going," he cried hoarsely, placing his massive hand onto her shoulder firmly.  Liz rolled her eyes and sighed quietly, irritated that he was making her late to her meeting with Austin.  

                "Oh puh-lease," she muttered, twisting his arm and slamming the heel of her hand into his nose.  He let out a cry, blood flowing out of his nose.  Liz shook her head vaguely for a moment before leaving, slamming the door in its frame.  She shook her head as a barbaric yell sounded from inside the house, and slipped into her car – a silver Camaro.  

*                              *                              *                              *                              *

                Steve Austin looked around the café, resigned.  This was definitely not a place he wanted to be caught in, dead or alive.  Alas, he was here…  Studying the café, he decided that it wasn't that bad, if only that would've been his style.  The café was alive with color, mostly an olive green and an off red color.  There were several tables and fewer booths, and Austin was currently seated at one of the booths.  Lights hung from cables on the ceiling, a cone at the end, in the same off-red color of the cushions of the booth.  The placemats were white, with the green, yellow, red, and blue colors on them in stripes.  Austin shook his head, tipping his baseball cap further onto his head.  He had chosen a spot where he could watch the red doors, to see if his daughter would keep her word.  He knew she would, but couldn't help feeling nervous.  Finally, she walked in, keys in hand, looking over the café customers.  She finally spotted him and slid in the booth.  As she walked over, Austin studied her.  She was wearing low rider blue jeans, and a shirt that had 'And your point is?' written across in glittering letters.  She offered him a weak smile.

                "Hmm…" he said, pondering, "Greeting me with a smile…  What exactly did you do to your head in the past 12 hours?" he questioned lightly.  Liz smirked.

                "Right now you're the best of two evils," she retorted, and Austin knew she was talking about her step dad.  He cocked an eyebrow.

                "That bad, huh?"

                "Yeah," she mumbled, crossing her arms over her chest as she sat down.  "So what do you want?"  Austin sighed, setting down the small jelly packet he'd been playing with.  

                "I want to apologize," he said after pausing for a minute, "For all the stuff I did to you…"

                Liz narrowed her eyes, "For all the stuff you did to the people closest to me," she replied icily.  Austin looked back down at the table.  Liz made the simplest thing so much harder…  But as he was about to speak, Liz interrupted, "Why did you do it?" she asked, tilting her head.

                "When your mom kicked me out – " he started, but Liz dropped her arms to her sides suddenly, shaking her head with disgust.

                "You think you can lie your way to me?  YOU are the one who abandoned us.  YOU are the one who got a divorce!" she hissed, her hands slapping the table.  She tried not to notice the confused look on his face, but already doubt was ebbing at her.  What if her mom had actually lied to her about Austin?  Liz bit her lip, trying not to show her hesitation.  

                "What do you mean?" stuttered Austin, flabbergasted.  "I didn't – I wouldn't…  I wouldn't try to divorce your mother for the world," he said quieter, the sinking feeling in his gut growing.  Liz stared down at her hands, swallowing the blood filling up her mouth.  

                "What happened?" she said in a monotone.  Austin sighed heavily, gathering his memories quietly before heeding to her command.       

                "When you were really young…about five or so, I was still in the wrestling business," he started, Liz nodded slightly, "You're mother complained sometimes…  We had those fights when I got home, and then I wasn't home…  I guess she was just fed up.  One day she just out and told me, it was the job or my family.  You have to understand, Liz.  I can't just sit at a desk and work…  I'd go insane!  And the job alone wouldn't cover what it costs to live our lives and support your grandparents too," he said pleadingly.  

                "They're dead," she said icily, "So why didn't you come back when they…" she trailed off, blinking furiously.  Next to her mother, her grandparents were one of the closest things she'd had.  

                "Your mother had filed a divorce by then…" Austin replied slowly.  "I…  I didn't want to come back," he confessed quietly.

                "Why not?"

                "You," he said timidly.  "You were always behind me with a lawyer when you were older, emptying my pockets and hating me for all you could," he winced slightly, "That hurt me a lot, Elizabeth, it really did."  Liz stared at him, a guilty feeling rising in her stomach.

                "Is that why you…you attacked all of my friends?" she questioned quietly.  

                Austin nodded, "It was stupid, but…  I wanted you to hurt like you hurt me…  I went way too far…  I shouldn't have done anything…" He sighed, "I'm really sorry about…your back, you know."

                "When…  When I first came to the WWE, I…  I didn't recognize you.  The first time I actually suspected it was when you stunned me on that first night…" she smirked slightly, "I didn't recognize you without your hair." Austin smiled slightly.  "And then when you attacked Lita before our tag-team match…  God, I was so ticked off at you," she said, remembering wistfully, "I shouldn't have ever made that match, and I got what was coming to me," she said firmly.  "And that's that.  Nothing else…" She caught Austin's glance, "But…  I still don't understand why they hit me…  I only really insulted them a few times," she mused.  

                "I've asked myself that same question," muttered Austin, "Why did they attack you and not me?" he chuckled miserably, "I almost wish I couldn't feel the answer.  Flair is a very, very smart person.  He's learned to look beneath the skin." Liz stared at him, cocking her head again slightly.  Austin took a deep breath and continued, "He saw it, damn it, and he saw it clear." Liz shook her head quickly as she leaned closer to him.  

                "I love you, Liz," Austin confessed, and then added sadly, "Too bad it took your career to make me realize that."

*                              *                              *                              *                              *

Author's Note:  Okay, this took a long time, only because I've been really busy with a few things.  Now that it is summer, I can update more.  I will be gone for a week at the beginning of July, so there will be no updates then.  Until the next update!!  REVIEW!!

--LK08--


	15. Chapter XV : Homecoming

Author's Note:  I decided to try and get this up early.  I hope you like!!  Review, please!!  

Disclaimer:  First Chapter

Distribution:  I don't see why anyone would want it, but ask in a review if you want it.

*                       *                       *                       *                       *

Dangerous Business

Chapter XV

            Hunter Hemsley was relaxed as he'd ever been in a match for his title in quite a while.  And why wouldn't he be?  His title was in no danger – he was only wrestling that freak, Jeff Hardy – and there was no one that could stop him from winning.  Well, there was the chance of the beautiful blonde pounding on the mat, but Hunter guessed that she wasn't the type to interfere, which was exactly why he had left Flair, Batista, and Orton back in the locker room.  He didn't need their help.  And God, that blonde at ringside just wouldn't shut up!  Hunter finished bouncing off the ropes and drove his knee into the staggering Jeff Hardy.  As Jeff went down, Hunter sauntered over to the ropes.  The blonde jerked away, but Hunter's arm snatched a handful of her bright blond hair before she could, and jerked her into the ring.  

            "Let me go!" she screamed furiously, struggling.  Hunter trash-talked her for a second, ignoring the pleads of the referee.  He brought back his fist and slammed it unceremoniously into her face, sending her careening backwards to the springy mat.  Hunter laughed, seeing the furious look on his opponent's face.  The blond rolled out of the ring, her frail figure dumped to the mat, as Hunter picked up Jeff and delivered the Pedigree.  He slowly sat down and covered Jeff for the pin.  The ref slid to his side and brought up his hand.

            "1…" he barked as his hand slapped the mat.  And as if there was a switch underneath the mat, all of the spotlights disappeared, leaving the arena in an eerie darkness.  And then a music beat so familiar to him started up so loud he didn't hear the referee's next count, "2…" he cried over the noise and the cheers of the faceless fans. 

            "Forfeit the game before somebody takes you out of the frame/and puts your name to shame/cover up your face/you can't run the race/the pace is too fast/you just won't last," the music thudded through Hunter's ears, but he remained pinning Jeff, remembering when Kane had started to make his return.  When the count of three didn't ring in his ears, Hunter stood up angrily, and faced the general direction of the referee.  Slowly, dim lights flickered on.  Hunter let out a small gasp of surprise as he saw who was standing in place of the referee.  

            In front of him stood Liz.  Her light brown hair had been pulled back into a ponytail.  On both sides of her head, glistening silver lightning bolts shimmered, along with the silver eye shadow and lip-gloss.  As she moved, the lights revealed that the silver halter-top she was wearing wasn't quite silver – it was also a light, metallic purple, along with her pants.  But his gaze didn't remain on her steely jade eyes, or her outfit for long.  No, his gaze went directly to her hands, where she twirled a sledgehammer.  Looking closer as fear grew in the pit of his stomach, Hunter saw the distinct sign of the small bends in the sledgehammer.  The blazing lights came back on.  

            _"What goes around, comes around," _her last words to him echoed in his head as he stumbled backward over the fallen body of Jeff.  

            "What goes around, comes around," was it Liz whispering it, or was it just his head?  Hunter felt his bare back touch the coolness of the ropes and whirled around, starting to leap through them, if not for a certain brunette grabbing a handful of his frizzing hair.  As she yanked him backwards, she brought her lips to his ears and said ferociously.

            "This is for my Father," she said, and then drove her knee into his gut.  As he bent over, she drove one of her unpadded elbows straight into his spine.  She taunted him as he crawled, getting his arms over the ropes before he realized his mistake.  That left him in the same exact position that Liz was in only fourteen months ago.  Liz grinned evilly, swinging the sledgehammer like a baseball bat and continued the momentum straight into Hunter's back.  She grinned wider as his cry of pain filled the arena.  Slowly, she raised her pointer finger, middle finger, and thumb to the wild cheers of the fans as she stood over Hunter, who lay motionless.  And something that never, ever happened, happened.

J.R. and the King were quiet with awe as RAW went off the air.

-                       -                       -                       -                       -

Smackdown!

7:49 P.M

            Rob laid down on one of the long benches in the guy's locker rooms, tapping his feet against the wood quietly.  The arena they were going to was small, and there were only about 4 large locker rooms – one for the Divas, two for the male Superstars, and one was being used for supplies.  But he wasn't thinking of that as he stared up at the dim lights in the locker room.  He sighed quietly, and slowly sat up, yawning as he did so.  He supposed that he would have to go find Liz.  Rob stood up, stretching his limbs quietly.  He thought quietly of how much things had changed since the fateful Hell in a Cell match.  

            He remembered the aftermath of the Hell in a Cell match, a satisfied grin appearing guiltily on his face.  After he had decimated Hunter and Flair with steel chairs, Brock Lesner, apparently, had found them, and done a few not-so-nice things.  Rob chuckled to himself softly as he grabbed a random shirt from his duffel bag.  Hunter had been out for 2 shows, and Flair had been gone for 4 or 5.  

            Of course, when Hunter had gotten back, he had to deal with all of Liz's friends, and most of which was oddly Shawn Michaels, but mainly because Shawn and Hunter had begun feuding with other reasons other than Liz.  Finally, at the next Pay-Per-View, Rob had gotten a hold of Evolution, in a tag team match up.  It was a 8-man tag team match – Brock Lesner, Rob Van Dam, Jeff Hardy and Kane versus Hunter, Batista, Flair, and Orton.  

            Recently after that, Lita had returned.  She explained that when Austin had attacked her before Liz's match oh-so-long ago, her neck had only been damaged slightly.  Since Liz left, Victoria had gotten the title, but Lita had finally regained it, and continued to successfully fend off Trish Stratus, Jazz, Victoria, and Molly Holly, over the fourteen months, only losing her title twice, and the first time only for 1 show, the second for 5.  

            And feuds started and ended and remained still while she had recovered, and her absence began to feel less painful to most of the fans and superstars, but they still noticed, and just about every time a Hardy or a member of Evolution came out, the memories were always fresh on their minds, also when the Women's Championship came up for grabs. 

            Unfortunately, Matt Hardy had come to WWE again as a more active participant, starting the V1 business.  Rob understood now why Liz hated her cousin so much.  Lita had soon broken up with him – in front of the whole world – and Matt had been aching for her to pay for it, which started a feud between Jeff and Matt, that was starting to lower slightly as new rivals were taken on.  Some of the guys in the back, and all of Jeff's family and friends, seemed to notice that Jeff's interest was slowly meandering from the wrestling business, but they didn't say a word to him.

            More superstars began their arrival in the WWE, like Goldberg and the French tag team.  Rob shook his head quietly, thinking of his current feud with the Big Show.  

            The bang of the door  as it opened jerked Rob from his thoughts.  He immediately stood up, seeing the tall, heavy giant in front of him, followed closely by Paul Heyman.  Rob glared up defiantly into the Big Show's cold eyes as Heyman paced around them.  He had known Paul long enough to know that he was simply going to try and play mind games with Rob.

            "Why, if it isn't the whole F'n Show," Heyman drawled, casting his beady eyes on Rob.  "What are you up to?" he questioned, but didn't wait for an answer, "Oh!  I know, you must be waiting for your girlfriend!" The moment he said it, Rob stiffened.  Heyman was up to something, and it had something to do with Liz.  

            "What do you want, Heyman?" Rob snapped through gritted teeth, his eyes never leaving the Big Show.  

            "You see, Rob…  You are perfectly able to defend yourself – at least somewhat – against my client," he stepped close to Rob, who finally turned and glared at Paul steadily.  "But what about your girlfriend?" he smiled, "I mean, she couldn't defend herself against my client if her life depended on it – which it probably would," he chuckled, his beady eyes shining evilly, "So here's the deal, Rob.  You dump Liz, and we won't hurt our little Angel."  Rob distinctly felt his upper lip curling in anger, but the sound of his heart thudding in his chest seemed to deafen his senses.  

            "You have until the end of the show to dump her, Rob, or else…" he smiled, and continued his sentence, "Or else you minus well keep that ambulance ready for her," he paused, passed one last sickening smile, and exited the locker room, with his client close behind, leaving a troubled RVD in their wake.

-                       -                       -                       -                       -

Author's Note:  I notice that this chapter is a tad shorter than the usual, and I'm sorry.  Originally, I was going to continue the conversation with Austin, but decided not to.  Anyway, I'm sorry if you guys don't like this chapter, but please review.  And if anyone has any ideas regarding this story, feel free to tell me on a review.  Someone asked me the other day in a chat, where I thought this thing with Brock Lesner was going.  Seriously, I'm not quite sure, but I'm thinking of several possibilities.  One is very sweet, the other is quite mean, but I'm considering it.  Anyways, you'll just have to wait to see!  Love you guys, and **please** review!

_-LK08-_


	16. Chapter XVI : Smoke and Mirrors

Author's Note:  Hope you guys like this chapter!  And yes, it's going to be a bit dramatic.  Please review!

Disclaimer:  1st chapter

Distribution:  Ask first.

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Dangerous Business

Chapter XVI

Smackdown!

7:42 P.M.

                Liz smiled as she ran her hand over the leather of the small, black Limo.  She glanced outside the tinted window at the curling line of freezing fans, whooping and screaming at the Limo, wondering just which superstar it housed at the moment.  Against the caution of the driver, Liz rolled down the window to another chorus of earth-shaking cheers.  The brunette laughed and waved as the Limo rounded to the backstage area.  She thanked the driver as she stepped out quickly and went through the general security.  

                "Welcome back, ma'am," one of the guards said as he slid her employment card through the slot.  The computer gave a few affirmative beeps and bleeps, and then the guard handed back her card.

                "Thanks," she said lightly, tucking the card back inside the black leather mini-backpack on her back.  She sighed, pulling her hair into a ponytail as she walked quietly down the hallways, glancing at the labels on each of the doors.  Liz suppressed a tired yawn as she found one of the male superstar's locker rooms.  She glanced at the list underneath, confirming that it was the locker room that she was looking for.  Liz knocked quietly on the door, and then harder, hearing the noise in the locker room.  

                "Come on in!" shouted a random voice.  Liz rolled her eyes and leaned closer to the gray door.

                "Are you guys decent?" she yelled back, waiting for a response.  "Send Shane out here!" she demanded to the door.  A few moments later, Shane Helms poked his head out of the room.  

                "Hey Liz!" he cried.  

                "Hi Shane," she returned his smile, "Listen, I need to talk to Brock for a second, do you think you could send him out here?"  Shane stared at her quizzically, but nodded anyways.

                "Okay," he said, shrugging.  He paused for a second, and then disappeared into the noisy locker room.  As she waited, Liz sat down on one of the black storage cases littering the small hallways.  She dropped her backpack on the case unceremoniously as she waited for Brock to come out.  A minute or so later, Brock stepped out of the locker room, in his usual sweatpants and "Here comes the pain" shirt.  He sat down on the storage case opposite of her.  

                "You wanted to talk," he stated, arching an eyebrow at her.  

                "Yeah," Liz replied, shifting on the case quietly, "I just wanted to say thanks…"

                "For what?" a puzzled expression crossed his face.  He knew exactly what she was talking about.

                "What you did to Evolution at the PPV last year," she said, smiling.  "Well…  Thanks," she muttered, feeling like she overstayed her welcome.  

                "You're welcome," replied Brock suddenly as Liz stood up.  She smiled at him gratefully.  

                "I'll see you around?" she asked, and he nodded.  She nodded back at him, stood up, waved, and headed back down the hallway towards the other locker room where Rob was.  Brock sat on the case for a while, before starting to head back to the locker room, when he noticed the leather backpack lying on the case.  He sighed, and looked down the hall.  Liz was long gone.  

-

                Liz yawned quietly as she walked down the hallways.  Her eyes wandered over the pieces of paper attached to the doors as she walked slowly, as not to miss Rob's locker room.  As she walked, she ran into another familiar wrestler.  Liz stepped back, an embarrassed flush creeping over her face.

                "I'm sorry," she said quickly, "I wasn't watching where I was going…" And then she noticed just whom she had run into.  The egotistical and self-proclaimed King of the World.  Liz shifted her weight to her other foot, unsure on how to act.  When she returned from the hospital, she found a rather long message on the telephone from the King of the World himself, apologizing for his actions and giving a get well soon.  And the most amazing part – there was nothing egotistical on the message.  At first, Liz had thought it had been a prank – a sick joke, but then he had called again, this time while she was home.  Oddly, Liz found that Chris Jericho wasn't that same egotistical jerk off-screen. 

                "It's okay," Chris Jericho replied, "I'm, uh…  Glad to see you."  Clearly she wasn't the only one who didn't know what to say.  

                She mustered a smile, "I'm glad I'm back, too.  I, uh, have to get going though…  Was supposed to meet Rob like 15 minutes ago," she explained.

                "Okay…  See you later?" he asked, shifting uncomfortably on his feet.  If someone told him 16 months ago that in the near future that he'd be begging for forgiveness from Liz herself, _and getting it_, he would not have believed them, much less considered it.  He had asked that phrase as a question, because he couldn't quite believe that she actually really _forgave _him.  

                "Yeah," Liz said quietly, smiling slightly, "Yeah," she repeated, stronger.  Chris nodded, stepped to the side, and watched her head down the hallways.  She stopped near a door, knocked, and, hearing an answer, went in and disappeared from Y2J's line of sight.  

-

                "Hey," Rob said, lifting his forehead from his arm, which was rested against the wall as Liz stepped into the room.  "I was wondering what happened to you…" he trailed off as Liz hugged him.  He squeezed back half-heartedly.  _If you had been on time, I wouldn't have to hurt you like this._

                As she pulled back, Liz cocked her head, her arms still set loosely on his shoulders, "What's wrong?" she asked.  

                _Everything.  _Rob sighed, running a hand through his hair and sitting down on one of the benches, a cold feeling of dread ensnaring him.  He didn't say a word, just set his elbows on his knees and pressed his forehead onto his palms.  Liz knelt in front of him,  her gaze never leaving his face.  He looked down at the tiled floor, remembering the pain that Big Show had put him through.  

                _'…You minus well get that ambulance ready for her…' _

                "I…" Rob looked up, trying to wipe the pain off of his face.  His stomach clenched and rolled as Liz looked up at him, the soft skin of her hand against his leg, reassuring him to go on, her jade eyes warm and so unlike the steel green eyes that she had during matches…  Rob hesitantly dropped his hands to rest along his thighs.  Liz took her hand off her his leg and pressed her elbow on her thigh as she stared at him.

                "You what?" she asked quietly, innocently.  

                _I love you._

"I think…" he took a breath, ignoring the icy cold pain spreading through him, "I think that we should break up," he said slowly, his jaw clenching to hide his pain as he watched her reaction. 

                _'I think that we should break up,' _the words were like bricks, crashing against her.  She blinked once, twice, and considered to rub her ears.

                Because she thought she heard her heart breaking.

                "Why?" the word came out as a strangled croak.  Liz looked up, ashamed at the water fighting to run down her face.  "Why?" she repeated, much liking to simply disappear.  

                Rob closed his eyes tightly and pressed his palms against them, knowing that when he opened them, the same pained image of Liz would be sitting before him, her jade eyes blurred by tears.  

                _Because I love you._

"I…I don't think that we're right for each other," he whispered, his voice cracking.

                _We aren't right for each other.  We're perfect._

She stood up abruptly, but her jade eyes never left him.  Slowly, painfully, he met her gaze.  He swallowed the lump in his throat as she shook her head quietly.  "I wish," she murmured, "that I will wake up in a minute, and know that this," she motioned with her head, "was all a dream."  She laughed – not the joyous melody that Rob knew and loved, but a cracking burst of sadistic pain, "But instead I find that this – us – was just a dream…" She bit her lip as the first tear rolled slowly down her face.  "And – " she croaked, bowing her head in pain, "I find that you thought it was a nightmare."

                _It wasn't a dream, it was real, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me._

Instead of voicing his thoughts, Rob stayed stonily silent.  Liz shook her head again, ashamed at herself, blaming herself.  In her mind, she'd expected the silence.  But, she realized as a second tear joined the first, her heart had  been hoping otherwise.  Liz lifted her head once more, and took a shaky step to the door, her hand resting on the handle.  She paused, risking a glance back at Rob.  

                "Good-bye," she said, trying to fill her words with spite and anger, but the pain showed.  She opened the door, staring at the bland hallway, and found herself hoping against fate, that this was all some sort of sick joke.  But at the silence between them, she knew that it was a foolish hope – and wasn't about to be granted.  As she stepped out, she let the tears flow freely – a sixth tear joining the fifth, a seventh tear following the sixth…

                She jogged blindly through the hallway, the tears blurring her vision, and only the instinctive need to run pushing her to get away, as if the situation only existed at the arena.  Liz ran straight on into someone – she didn't take a glance to look.  She jerked backwards, this time going to run _past _the person, but warm, strong arms engulfed her into the embrace.  She didn't even hear the leather backpack that he'd been carrying drop to the floor.  Liz didn't care who the person was – she was too delirious with pain to care or know – all she did was cry against him.

-                               -                               -                               -                               -

Author's Note:  I'M SO SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO UPDATE!!!  I started this the moment I uploaded the last chapter, had it finished, and then I went on my trip to Massena in NY.  When I got back (yesterday) I found that _the computer had deleted **every** **single** **file** _on it!  I was ticked off, to say the least, and said some very colorful words.  So, I retyped the entire thing this morning, changed a few things _(some things probably got worse) _and saved it on a floppy disk.  I'm also sorry that I didn't put an Author's Note up to tell you that I went on vacation.  It slipped my mind, and I'm sorry about that.  Anyways, the next chapter should be up soon, and from now on I'm going to back my files on floppy drives, and hopefully it works good.  And another thing that I'm **sorry** about is that this chapter was so short…  Okay, so technically it was only like 300 words less than usual, but I try to hit 2,000 without the Author's Notes…  

I would like to know what the reviewers think I should do with a few things in the story…  A)  What should I do about Dominique?  I really don't want her to become a main character – as in one equal to Liz, but I don't really wish to drop her out of the story with only a mention or two.  What do you guys think?  B)  So it's not that big of a secret – I'm thinking about adding some romantic feelings between Liz _and a Superstar that she knows.  _By this, I mean that she can know him as well as Edge or as well as Brock, but people like the French people (I can **never** spell their names right), I wouldn't want her to be involved with.  Not like their personalities or anything – just that she knows _squat _about them.

And here are a few ideas that I plan to intervene with this story.  I'm going to have Evolution come **back** into the story before Hunter comes back into the WWE.  I'm going to have "the French people" come into the story (be warned – I'm not a fan).  Also, Goldberg will play a **small** part.

Okay, I'm done **rambling** on and on…  You can go review now, LOL!  Please do!  Love you guys,

-_LK08-_

**_-----------------------------------_**

**_-----------------------------------  _**


	17. Chapter XVII : Menace

Author's Note:  Since I've uploaded the 16th chapter, this site hasn't been functional, whether it's really the site or just my stupid computer, I'll never know.  I've decided to start this chapter, but be warned, it may be a slower chapter than usual.  I'm not sure.  I go wherever the mood takes me…  Please review!

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Dangerous Business 

_Chapter XVII_

_Smackdown!_

_8:09 P.M_

                Liz sighed quietly, looking down the empty hallways carefully.  Over the last twenty minutes, she'd been into so many comforting embraces; it made her feel weak and loved at the same time.  But all she wanted now was to be left alone.  _Alone.  _Liz shook her head quietly.  If she didn't keep herself busy, her thoughts kept turning back to _him.  _But it was hard to keep her mind busy.  Everything – from one little detail or simple phrases reminded her of him.  Sighing again, the brunette walked down the lonesome hallway.  Catching sight of one of the monitors, she remembered that the cameras had caught the clip of her coming out of Rob's dressing room, crying.  _Crying.  _Another word that made her feel ashamed and weak that she had done so.  

                "Liz!" Liz groaned to herself, pausing as she heard the familiar beat of footsteps on the concrete behind her.  

                "What?" she muttered, noticing the loss of her title as she moved to do the familiar motion of shouldering it as she turned.  

                "Is it really true that you and Rob are over?" Coach said eagerly, holding up the microphone.  Liz rolled her eyes and muttered something under her breath before replying.

                "Yes."

                Coach, taken aback by her abrupt and blunt answer, paused before prodding further, "Did this happen – "

                Liz clenched her jaw tightly and interrupted, "Yes, we broke up, yes, we broke up today, yes, it hurt me, and yes it was Rob that broke things off."  She glared at Coach, "Anything else?" she cocked her head, challenging him to make another question, "Or are you going to actually ask me something relevant to my career in the WWE?"

                Coach, shielding away from her glare, spoke once more, "Tonight you have a match against Nidia in a part of a tournament for the Number 1 Contender for the Women's Title.  If you win tonight, you will face the winner of Trish versus Molly, and Victoria versus Jazz in a Triple Threat match," he stated.

                "AfterI _destroy _Nidia tonight," Liz said, emphasizing, "I'm going to do the same thing to Trish, Victoria, Jazz, Molly, Lita, and whoever the hell else wants to stand in my way in getting my title back," she glared down at Coach, newborn fury and anger dancing beyond her eyes.

                "Liz!" another voice called from behind her.  She didn't need to turn around to place the voice to Edge.  

                "This interview is over," she hissed, turning around and walking away from him.  

                Edge cocked an eyebrow as she walked up, "Rumor is that you're acting really," he paused, "What was that word that _Jericho _used?  Bitchy, I think it was."

                Liz narrowed her eyes, "What's your point?"  Edge sighed, running a hand through his blond hair.  She sighed, "It's better being sarcastic and mean then lying around and crying," she murmured.  "And why did Jericho say that, anyway?"

                "He saw you take apart Molly for getting in your way after you left his locker room," explained Edge, still bearing the confused look in his eyes, "Why were you in his locker room anyway?  Aren't you two - " 

                Liz cut him off, "No, we aren't fighting," she sighed, "He apologized while I was out," she explained to him.  He nodded, shifting his weight to his other foot as he continued to be silent.  Liz sighed quietly, taking a quick glance at her watch.  Her match was almost up.  Her eyes remained settled on the floor until she felt Edge's hand squeeze her shoulder lightly.  

                "Take it easy on Nidia," he said, "The only person who deserves to be beaten to a pulp tonight is Rob, and Big Show and Randy have that job tonight."

                Liz smiled weakly, "Never thought I'd be rooting for them," she said quietly, "Never thought I'd wish for Rob and Kane to lose."

                "You might want to go and see Jeff," mused Edge, "He seems to think that you're ignoring him."  Liz nodded, turning around and starting to head down the hall, hands lose at her sides, her head down.  "Liz?" he called after her.  She turned her head to him, and just then he recognized the lost expression in her eyes.  "Everything will turn out in the end," he said.  She nodded, but couldn't bring herself to believe his words.

-                               -                               -                               -                               -

                Liz walked out to her music, but this time the familiar roars of the fans did nothing to sway her numb state.  She didn't pose and egg the fans as she walked to the ring and slip in.  As the familiar mat sprung beneath her feet, she looked to the ramp as Nidia strutted to the ring, accompanied by Jamie Noble.  Liz sighed quietly as Nidia posed, and undid the ponytail that kept her light brown hair away from her face.  But as Nidia continued to try and flaunt her body, Liz felt the familiar urge to show her up.  She smiled, and arched backward.  Her top was like a thick tube top, only there was no material in the center of her chest, only string tying the material together.  As she arched backward, the strings seemed to expand.  Nidia growled and leapt towards her.  Liz snapped backward to the mat, pressing her wrists back as they hit the mat, making her back close, but not touching the mat.  As Nidia leapt over her, Liz pushed up on her hands, pushing herself backwards and up.  Once her feet touched the mat she leapt backward and put up her elbow.  Nidia let out a cry as her upper chest and Liz's elbow collided.  The bell rang.  Liz grabbed Nidia's hair and pulled her to her feet roughly.  Liz grabbed Nidia's arm and twisted it backwards.  Nidia slapped her arm in pain.  Liz pushed harder, and when it appeared that Nidia would pull out of the hold, she slammed her knee into Nidia's stomach.  Liz grabbed her head, twisted around, and pulled them both to the mat.  Once she hit the mat, Liz leapt up, dragging Nidia to her feet once more.  Nidia fought back with a punch, and pushed Liz to the ropes.  Liz ran back, slid beneath her open legs, and clocked Nidia on the side of the head with her boot.  Nidia went down face-first.  Once she hit the mat, Liz stalked over.  She placed her left shin diagonal over Nidia's calves – effectively pinning her legs down – and bent her right leg over it so that her knee was against Nidia's back.  As Liz sat on her left leg, she didn't try to lessen her weight any.  She reached forward, however, and applied the sleeper hold as best as she could, and arched backwards.

                The hold was apparently effective, as Nidia let out a cry of pain.  After a moment, Nidia began to feel the effects of the odd sleeper.  She struggled violently, jerking her head from Liz's grasp.  Improvising, Liz snatched Nidia's arms and yanked backwards, now able to apply more force.  Liz felt Nidia trying to jerk her legs out from under her shin, and Liz let go.  Nidia was once again stomach first on the mat, grabbing at her back.  Liz snapped her boot, and Nidia gave out a small cry of pain.  Liz yanked Nidia to her feet and kneed her savagely into her stomach and dashed for the turnbuckle.  As Nidia recovered and stood up, Liz flew off of the turnbuckle, clasped her arm around Nidia's head, and delivered a swinging DDT off of the turnbuckle.  Liz pulled Nidia to her feet once more.

                "It doesn't look like Liz has any intention of ending this match soon," J.R commented as Liz performed a backbreaker, "I dare to say that she's taking out her anger for Rob out on Nidia…"

                "Rob would deserve what Nidia's getting from Liz!" exclaimed King, "Who in their right mind would dump _Liz_?"  Liz ignored the commentators' as they spoke, picking up Nidia again.  Liz let go of her hair for a few seconds to punch Noble from the apron, where he stood, yelling at the ref.  As Liz turned around, Nidia tried to get the upper hand, but Liz blocked her punches.  As she made a particularly sloppy punch, Liz ducked, got behind Nidia, wrapped her arms around her waist, and lifted Nidia over her onto the mat.  Once she let go, Liz headed to the turnbuckle once more.  After a brief considering moment, she took a glance at the motionless Nidia, and leapt off of the rope, performing a moonsault.  Liz barely winced at the pain coursing through her stomach.  Ignoring the ref once again, she hauled Nidia up by her hair and tossed her into the turnbuckle.  She backed up to the opposite one and ran full speed at her.  A few feet from her, Liz leapt off of the mat, her left foot colliding with Nidia's stomach with her motion, and using her right foot on Nidia's chest to gain height as she clutched Nidia's forearms.  Liz landed, kneeling down in front of Nidia, her arms locked with Nidia's.  She used her arm strength to pull Nidia.  Nidia ended up, her shoulders on the mat, her back parallel diagonally to Liz's.

                "1…2…3…!" the ref counted, signaling for the bell. Almost immediately, Liz felt a sharp jab in her stomach.  Jamie stood above her, steel chair clutched in his slick right hand.  Liz leapt to her feet, not fazed by the chair.  Jamie held the chair, ready to swing, in front of his face.  Liz jumped in a karate-style dropkick, one leg extended, the other curled beneath her, and her head above her feet.  Jamie quickly stepped aside and slammed the chair into Liz's forehead.  His strength in his swing, combined with her momentum, spilt the skin along her forehead.  Liz lay, face up, in the middle of the ring.  Through the corner of her eye, she saw that Jamie had discarded the chair and was bending next to Nidia, his face paled in concern.  Liz didn't take the time, nor did she have, the time to consider why that hurt more than the chair shot.  As the thick blood trickled down her forehead, Liz slowly reached her hand to the char.  Once her hand was firmly around it, she leapt to her feet, the chair up behind her.  Jamie looked up, saw her, and then the chair.  Liz took a step back, took a quick pretend swing forward, sending Jamie ducking, and then took the end of the chair and smacked it into his forehead.  A minute or so after he stood up, slowly, she swung the chair like a baseball bat into his bleeding forehead.  Liz dropped the chair, her ears ringing with the sound of the chair against flesh.  Quietly, she slid out of the ring and headed up the ramp.  She didn't stop once to look back as if she was guilty or proud, she didn't stop to pose to the fans.  She just bowed her head, and trudged up the ramp, leaving no trail to her emotions behind her.  As she came backstage, the medics on hand were waiting for her.  Liz shoved one gently, but firmly, away and traveled down to the Women's locker room, entered, got her stuff, and left without a word but with plenty of stares from the other Divas.  

                "Liz!" Liz sighed quietly, turning around to face Edge once again.  She sighed, expecting him to rant on about her just about destroying Jamie _and _Nidia, but he didn't.  "Listen, I was talking to some of the guys," he said.  Liz gave him the 'get to the point' look.  He smiled, rolled his eyes, and continued, "And we're heading down to see the fireworks in some town tonight."

                "Huh?" Liz cocked an eyebrow, swiping the blood off of her eyelashes in irritation.  

                "You didn't forget that today is the fourth of July, did you?"  

                _'How ironic,' _Liz thought, _'That I got independent today.'  _"By guys you mean the guys and their girlfriends?" she commented as a question.

                "Well…  Guys and good friends?" he applied.  

                "Who's coming?" Liz said, absentmindedly. 

                "Trish and Jeff, Shane and Dominique, hopefully you, me, and a couple other guys that have nothing better to do."

                "Like who?"

                "Brock, Jericho, Tommy, and I think that's it."  Liz sighed at his hopeful face.  "I won't take no for an answer," he smiled, and teased, "Remember last time you said no when I offered for social activities when you were living in Canada?"  Liz smiled wryly when she thought of the last time.  Edge and Christian had gone swimming, and Edge wanted her to come.  Liz said no – and Edge ended up carrying her over his back and dumping her – white shirt and all, into the pool, much to the delight of Christian.  She knew there was no use in saying no – and she loved fireworks.  

                "Fine," Liz said weakly, running a hand through her hair, unintentionally wiping the blood into it.  

                Edge smiled, "Go to the medics, and then clean up, and I'll meet you by the door."

                Liz sighed, but finally agreed.  As she approached the medics, two walked up, determined that her head didn't need stitches (as if she didn't know THAT), and stuck some cream and a band-aid on to make it look like they did something.  Liz shook her head quietly as she left, vaguely hoping that the rest of the night didn't turn out a waste of time, and it actually ended up relieving her of some stress.

                She didn't figure that it could _add_ to her stress.

*                              *                              *                              *                              *

**Author's Note:  **_The site is operational again.  Yippee!  I'm so tired…  It's 12:43 in the morning, and I got up at 4:34 this morning.  Stayed up until midnight last night…  Anyway, I hope you like this chapter – it may have gotten me grounded.  Anyway, REVIEW!                  _

_Bye,_

_LK08_


	18. Chapter XVIII : Forever in a Day

**Author's Note:  **_Yippee!  I'm starting another chapter!  PLEASE REVIEW!_

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Dangerous Business 

****

**_Chapter XVIII_**

****

                Liz had met the others by the door while they picked out driving arrangements.  Jeff, Trish, Shane and Dominique were riding in Jeff's car, Tommy and Chris were going in Chris's car, and Brock and Liz had left in her blue Camaro.  

                Liz sighed quietly, lying on the back of the Camaro, drumming her feet in rhythm as they waited for the fireworks to start and the others to arrive.  They were at the left side of the mall where the fireworks were.  Sighing, Liz glanced at the clock on the car.  She rolled her eyes, looking for the others' cars, but didn't see them.  Liz pulled her windbreaker tighter around her as the biting wind picked up, and glared at Brock, who lounged comfortably in a tank top and sweat pants.

                "Aren't you cold?" she asked.  

                "No," he said, shrugging, causing her to roll her eyes.  As they sat in a comfortable silence, a firework erupted in the sky with a loud boom, causing Brock to jump slightly.  

                "That was the five minute warning," Liz explained, amusement evident in her voice.  He passed a mock-glare at her.  She smiled innocently.  "What?  I didn't say anything!" She saw his look, and added, "and I wasn't thinking anything either!" she put her hands up in surrender.  Bad choice.  He grinned, and mercilessly tickled her.  She let out a small shriek of surprise before ineffectively trying to push his hands away.  She shimmied backward, and fell backwards into the leather seat with a small 'ow!'. 

                "You talked to Edge or Jeff, huh?" she asked, her voice muffled.  

                Brock's head loomed in her line of vision, amusement clear in his face, "You okay?"

                "You didn't answer my question."

                "You didn't answer mine."

                "I asked you first."

                "So?"

                "You're acting like a little kid!" exclaimed Liz, smiling because she knew she was too.  

                He raised his eyebrow teasingly, and smiled, "No, you see, acting childish involves tickling people and never stopping until someone else stops it."

                "You wouldn't dare," Liz said slowly, glaring at him.   He smiled wider, cocking his head.

                "Would I?" he asked, crossing his arms across his chest as he looked down at her.  "You obviously don't know me well."

                She mock-scowled, tried to sit up, and ended up banging her forehead on the steering wheel.  

                "Klutz," commended Brock.

                "Jerk," retorted Liz, this time being careful to duck her head away from the wheel as she sat back up.  Brock didn't say anything in reply, just stared up at the inky sky, sneaking side-glances at Liz.  She was leaning back on her elbows as her jade eyes remained fixed on the sky where the firework had exploded a couple minutes ago, often closing her eyes and sighing, as if she was old and tired.  Brock sighed too.  As each moment of silence past, Liz seemed to slip further into depression, further than she'd already been.  Brock, for all his little people skills, knew that Liz had been trying to laugh, trying to smile genuinely.  It didn't really seem to work.  The laughs were hard, forced out, and her smiles were pained.  His eyes traveled across her face, the skin gleaming in the moonlight.  He noticed three, short, white lines raised above her skin, an inch or so before her ear.  Reflexively, his hand reached out to her face as she turned.  She didn't jump back at his touch, but she looked at him quizzically.  His thumb gently ran over the scars.

                "Where'd you get those?" he asked.  Her hand jumped up, as if to cover the scars, but all her hand touched was his hand.  She didn't move her hand, but looked down, silently hooking her fingers underneath his hand.  For a second, she continued to bow her head, and then she looked up, her eyes glazed in memory.  

                "When I broke a beer bottle on Austin's shoulder," she said, her voice hoarse.  Just thinking about it brought the fact that she had told that to Rob, bringing her thoughts to him, and that's exactly what she _didn't _need.

                Seeing the sadness beginning to form in her eyes, Brock leaned a bit closer, and said softly, "Hey, I thought Edge told you not to think of him tonight?" he asked, recalling what the blond Canadian had told her firmly.  He guessed that it was about Rob, not Austin, and apparently he guessed right.  She bowed her head, overwhelmed by the sudden emotion of trust toward Brock – that she could spill her heart out to him and he wouldn't think any lesser of her.  Liz didn't.  The only two people besides her family and Edge that she'd trusted that much had fallen out of her life.  Which just brought another pang of pain.  The first one was Willow, her longtime friend.  She'd been buddies with her until Austin left her and her mom, and then they moved to Canada, where they'd met Edge and his family.  Liz had barely kept in touch with Willow, but when they returned to Texas, their friendship started up again, until Liz had left to train for wrestling.  Before she left, they'd had the first real fight.  Neither of them kept in touch.  A few times, Liz found herself itching to grab the phone and apologize, but she never did, and now she thought it was probably too late.  "Liz?" Brock said, jerking her out of her thoughts.  Liz jerked her head up, and gave him a weak smile.  

                "Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to," Liz said, in response to his last question.  She sighed, looking down at her free hand, suddenly hyperaware of how close they were.  Closing her eyes tightly before looking up at Brock, she spoke, "Everything reminds me of him.  It's hard not to."  Liz went to drop her head again, but Brock's other hand reached out and held it up, a caring smile on his face.  

                "It's not your fault," he said slowly, "That guy must be crazy; to dump someone like you."  Liz stared at him.  He leaned closer, their eyes locked together.  Her breath caught as his lips came closer.  She froze.  Just as his lips were going to reach hers, a voice cut across the night.

                "Liz!" Liz jerked backward, suddenly aware of what she'd almost let happen, a hollow pit growing in her stomach.  She turned toward the direction of the voice to hide the fear in her eyes from Brock.  _What the hell was she doing?  _It hadn't even been a day since Rob broke up with her.  Hell, it hadn't even been half of a day!  A pair of headlights blinded her for a second.  Liz stared straight on into them, afraid to turn and take a glance at Brock.  "Liz!" Dominique's head was out of the front seat window, her blond hair creating a halo around her face.  Liz meekly waved to the blonde.  Jeff's car pulled in to the spot next to them, and Chris's pulled into the spot next to him.  

                The rest of the night went by without incident.  Liz was quieter, but took the time to pick Edge apart for telling Brock that she was ticklish.  She sat between Jeff and Dominique for most of the fireworks, somewhat avoiding Brock, but no one really noticed…except for him.  When the last crashing boom of the grand finale went off, Brock offered to switch places with Dreamer in the cars, perhaps sensing Liz's discomfort.  

As soon as Liz stepped inside her hotel room, she locked the door, ready to ignore anyone that came knocking.  She sighed quietly, and sunk into the queen-sized bed, glancing at the other bed, remembering that she and Rob were _supposed _to be sharing this room.  When she got there, the manager informed her that Rob had gotten another room.  Liz knew that was really good, seeing as how she probably couldn't stand being in the same room as him.  So why did it _hurt_?  She slowly changed into a comfy white tank top, and a pair of soccer shorts.  Liz sighed, tossing her duffel back onto the floor on top of her backpack and other duffel.  She sat in silence, lying on the bed, staring at the intricate pattern of plaster on the ceiling.  The silence seemed to mock her, being there only because she had no one to talk to.  Liz glanced warily at the phone.  Sighing, she knew she needed to talk to someone.  She wouldn't call Dominique; she couldn't understand.  She couldn't call any of the people that she had just been hanging out with – she'd basically shoved them away when they got back, snapping that she wanted time alone.  And a few seconds later, when the quiet fell, regretting it.  The sorrow fell in waves.  Who _did _she have that she could turn to?  The guys wouldn't understand something like this – and she wouldn't turn to them.  She'd worked had to prove herself to be just as tough as them – what would they think if she just broke down?  Edge and Jeff would understand, but she wasn't sure of the others.  She had just met most of them, and didn't know them that well.  She had just been able to smooth things over with her father, and she wasn't going to get a wrong first impression.  Well, it _seemed _like a first impression.  Liz couldn't rely on him or her stepfather.  Her mom?  Yeah, she could turn to her, but it didn't feel quite right.  Calling her to tell her that her boyfriend (who her mother loved like one of her own) dumped her, and she'd almost kissed one of her friends?  There was Trish…  Liz shook her head mentally.  She didn't really trust Trish, considering that she went through guys like mad, and Jeff may just be the next on the list.  Then there was the answer she didn't want to hear, the automatic one that went on every time she faced something like this.  Willow.  But they were fighting…  Were they, really?  Liz sighed sadly.  She didn't even remember what caused the fight.  Probably something stupid.  As stupid as either of them to not pick up the phone.  

                Liz lifted the phone, her finger pressing '9' a little harder than it needed to.  She dialed a Texas number she'd committed to memory a long time ago.  The ring echoed through the room.  Liz gripped the phone harder.

                "Hello?" a sleepy voice answered on the fourth ring.  

                "H-Hi," Liz said, startled that someone actually answered the phone, "Mrs. Sterling?"

                "Yes," she replied, obviously irritated that someone was calling at midnight, "Who _is _this?"

                "Liz," she answered, imagining Mrs. Sterling smiling over the phone as she talked about how long it had been she Liz had called.  But only after scolding Liz not to call her Mrs. Sterling (it made her sound old).  "Jessica?" Liz prompted as Mrs. Sterling took a breath.

                "Yes, dear?" she replied, "Sorry I was rambling.  I just haven't talked with you in ages!"

                Liz smiled weakly, "Do you know where Willow is?"  Jessica, a.k.a. Mrs. Sterling, was quiet for a second, remembering the rift that had separated the two girls.

                "She's at her apartment," Jessica said, "I'll give you the number."  Liz thanked her and hung up quickly after a good-bye.  She glanced down at the sheet of paper that the hotel had provided, where she'd scribbled Willow's number.  A sense of dread grew.  Liz licked her dry lips, dialing the number.  No one picked up until the sixth ring, right as Liz went to hang up.

                "What?" snapped Willow on the line.  Liz jerked the phone back up to her ear.  She was quiet for a second, realizing that it seemed harder to apologize to her than she'd thought.  Apparently, Willow thought that someone was prank calling, because she started to rant.  "Hey _ass_hole, next time you call – "

                "Willow?" interrupted Liz.  Willow stopped dead in the middle of her sentence.

                "Who _is _this?" she snapped in a tone much like her mother's, and Liz reminded her.

                "You sound like your mother," Liz informed.

                There was silence on the other end of the line, "Liz?" she asked, no emotion finding her way to her voice.  Liz nodded, temporarily forgetting that Willow couldn't see her.  

                "Yeah."  Liz took a deep breath, "Look, I'm sorry that we didn't keep in touch…" She waited for Willow's answer. 

                "You're not the only one," replied Willow grimly.  "I take it you called to talk about what happened to you and Rob?"

                "What?" Liz sputtered on the end of the line.  How did _she _know?

                "I watch wrestling Liz," Willow said, amusement in her voice.  

                "Why?  You never liked fighting!"

                Willow giggled, "Hot guys in spandex.  You should love your work."  Liz smiled weakly, lying down on the bed.

                "Glad to see you haven't changed," she murmured.  She could almost picture Willow – her deep red hair that earned her the nickname 'Firebird' tied into a ponytail, biting her lower lip while half-smiling.  

                "Yeah, well, neither have you," she retorted after a small silence, and then said in a sarcastic, joking voice, "Still saving the poor innocent weaklings and killing anyone who gets in your way?"

                "And _you _still overreact to _everything_ I do."

                "Are we going to talk about why you called, at all?" Willow laughed, "And maybe I do, but at least _I _know how to act like a girl when someone breaks up with me," she teased.

                Liz scowled, "At least I'm not a blubbering idiot," she snapped, and sighed.  "Sorry," she muttered after a second, realizing that Willow had only been teasing.  She sighed heavily.

                "So you called to talk about Rob…" Willow mused.  Liz closed her eyes quietly, and told her everything, including the almost-kiss.  Willow was silent and hardly interrupted, which Liz found easier.  As she talked, she felt a little better.  Not much.  Willow sighed heavily at the end.  "Damn, girl," she murmured quietly, "You got yourself in _real _deep."

                "Oh, and that's supposed to make me feel better?"

                "No," Willow responded, "I'm stating the obvious."  She sighed again.  "Look…  I _know _that you aren't over Rob – and don't you dare argue with me!  _Tell _Brock that.  _Tell _him that you don't want a relationship.  Not now, not yet."  She heard Liz sigh on the other end.  "You have a show in Texas coming up, right?" Willow asked.  

                "Yeah," replied Liz sullenly, "The _next_ show.  I leave tomorrow.  I want to get there early so I can talk to Mom."  

                "Okay, I'll meet you the day after the show.  Call me, okay?" Willow said, her voice straining.  

                "'Kay," Liz said reluctantly, "Bye, Firebird," she said sullenly, and hung up.  

                In Texas, Willow cradled the phone in her hands before hanging it up quietly, the noise echoing through the lonely apartment.  She couldn't bring herself to tell Liz over the phone, because what she was going to tell her would probably just bring her more stress than she already had.  The look on Rob's face when Liz stormed out of his locker room on RAW burned fresh in Willow's mind.  

                He was still in love with her.  

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**Author's Note:  **_I'm sorry it took so long to get this up.  For the past 3 days, either my computer or the website has been screwing up and not letting me go onto the site.  Sorry!  Anyway, the next chapter will be more interesting, I promise.  Please review!_


	19. Chapter XVIV : Sight Unseen

**Author's Note:  **_Sadly, I will be leaving again at the end of the month for another short trip.  I'll be back on August 4th, late at night.  I'll be leaving on the 30th.  If this is updated before I leave, it will probably be the last chapter I have before I leave.  Also, we are getting a new computer, so I'll have to figure out what to do with all of the half-finished files on here. I'm almost to the big 20!!  LOL!   Anyway, please review!_

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Dangerous Business 

_Chapter XVIV_

Smackdown!

7:49 P.M

                Liz and Rob both managed the two days before the Smackdown! Show.  They had both expertly avoided contact with others, and tried to forget about the break-up.  Neither of them quite succeeded.  Both of them tried to mentally prepare themselves for the onslaught that was inevitable come Smackdown!  Liz had had a long discussion with her mom, and seemed to be more at ease with the facts, but the burning feeling of pain that came with them didn't go away.  Rob had talked to Shane and Tommy each shortly.  They didn't end up being much of help, seeing as how Shane was getting closer to her sister, and Tommy was slowly becoming one of the group of her friends.  So he ended up going through the what-ifs.    

                Rob Van Dam sat in his own locker room, one foot on one bench, and the other foot on the other bench, stretching quietly.  The monitor in the top right corner of his room didn't emit a sound as it continued to display a black screen.  The list of matches for the night was taped to the wall beneath the monitor.  Rob looked down at the matches, past his Tag Team Title match, and to the second to last match.  It was Liz versus Jazz versus Trish.  He sighed, standing up slowly, kicking out his legs for feeling.  Liz would win, he predicted easily, they're nothing compared to her in the ring.  

                A knock jarred him out of his thoughts.  Rob looked up dismally, not expecting a lightening visitor.  He groaned loudly as Paul Heyman stepped through the door.  Apparently, he was alone, or Big Show was standing outside.  Paul was smiling in triumph, as he looked at Rob's somewhat disheveled appearance.  

                "So, how _are _you, Rob?" Heyman asked, sitting down on the end of the bench closest to the door.  Rob scowled at him hatefully.  

                "Shut the fuck up," he snapped heartily.  Heyman clicked his tongue, shaking his head quietly.

                "Is that the way you talk to someone like me?" he asked.

                "I dunno," Rob said, standing up and towering over Heyman menacingly, "How does one talk to a filthy, backstabbing, bastard?"  There was silence as Heyman stood up, glaring at him.  

                "You disappointed me, Rob," he drawled, slipping past the martial artist to saunter around the ring.  "I thought you'd try something to save your relationship with Liz…  At least _try _to lie to me," he laughed, "Obviously, your relationship with her wasn't as good as everybody seemed to let on," he said.  Rob balled his hands into fists, trying to resist the urge to destroy the man in front of him.  Rob took a threatening step forward.  Heyman called his bluff.  "You can't hurt me, Rob.  As much as you want to, all you can do is stand there and glare and call me names, 'cause if you do so much as throw a punch…" he trailed off.  He smiled brightly suddenly, "But here's the good news you've been waiting to hear."  Rob scowled.  "You _actually _broke up with her!" he laughed.  "Even if you had tried one of those brilliant lie-to-me plans, I would have found out," he declared giddily.  "Want to know why?"

                "No," Rob said icily, grabbing his water bottle.  "I don't." 

                "I'll tell you why," Heyman announced, ignoring Rob as if he hadn't spoken, "It's because I have a spy close to Liz…   So close, in fact, I'll know enough to blackmail her when I'm done with you," he laughed.

                "You wouldn't dare…" growled Rob.  

                "You know me well enough to know that you're lying right now, R-V-D.  I'm the man that created you, and I'm going to destroy you," he said slowly.  Rob clenched his jaw, his fists turned white from the pressure he was putting on them.  "So you want to know who this person, this spy, of mine is?"

                "I don't have a choice, do I?" Rob spat out sharply.  

                "No," replied Heyman gleefully, you don't."  He opened the door and stepped out for a second.  For a moment, Rob thought that Heyman was going to leave, thank God, but he returned seconds later, his slimy hand on a teenager's arm as he brought her into the room.  She hid behind her mane of blond hair.  

                _Oh, God…  _Rob felt his insides turn to mush.  _It can't be…  _

                "Rob, meet Dominique," Heyman introduced, and then gasped with fake surprise, "but you already know each other, don't you?" the room was silent with the exception of his laughs.  "I'll leave you two to sort things out," he didn't stop laughing, "In the meantime, I'm going to go and find my client," he grinned, "The Big Show."  The words had their desired effects, rubbing in on Rob and Dominique, the reason that they'd betrayed Liz.

                "What do you think you're doing?" Rob snapped as soon as the door shut, "Working for _him!_"  Dominique looked up, her blue eyes hazy with unshed tears of guilt.  

                "I could just as easily turn that back at you," she said quietly, "Breaking up with her because of a threat that Heyman made…  You could've done something and then neither of us would be in this situation!"  

                "And Liz would be in the hospital," spat Rob.

                "There you go!" Dominique cried, throwing up her hands, "That's the same damn thing I came to!  If Heyman didn't know for sure that Liz and you broke up for real, do you really think he'd leave you both alone?"  Rob knew she was right, but didn't admit it.  He turned his back on her, picking up his duffel bag and saying nothing as he looked for the rest of his gear.  Dominique set a hand on his shoulder tentatively.  "It'll turn out in the end," she whispered.  Rob turned around, staring at her sadly.

                "No, it won't."  

                It was funny, in a sad and twisted way, Rob thought, how far both of them in the room would go as far to betray her to protect her.  

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                Liz sighed quietly as she pulled on her clothes for her upcoming match with Jazz and Trish.  She was grateful that her mom had been in Texas to visit some of her friends; it gave Liz a chance to talk to her in person.  She glanced at herself in the mirror.  She was wearing an orange tank top that showed off her stomach, and a pair of orange pants that flared at the ankles.  The orange material shone silver in the light, and it pressed against her body snugly.  Liz sat down on the leather couch, pulling her hair into a ponytail as she watched the monitor.  Matt and Jeff had gone to get a bite to eat, and Liz couldn't be happier that Matt wouldn't be there.  Which probably was unfair of her to say, but they fought almost every time that they got together.  Dominique had hurried off with the excuse of seeing Shane once her cell phone rang.  

                The brunette jumped as the door opened and Lita walked in.  Liz sighed with relief, standing up as Lita greeted her with a hug.  Liz mustered a small smile.  

                "So how've you been?  Barely saw you the last few days," she said, "You didn't come out with us to the fireworks and your cell was turned off…"

                Lita smiled brightly, "I spent the weekend with Matt," she said, looking like she was going to burst.  Liz cocked an eyebrow.

                "And the reason you look like you're about to implode would be…?" 

                "Matt and I are engaged!" Lita squealed.  Liz felt her jaw drop in shock, muttering something inaudibly underneath her breath.  

                "Took you guys about damn time," she muttered, and they hugged again.  Liz pushed all thoughts of the break up away.  Just because he broke up with her didn't mean that she couldn't be genuinely happy for one of her friends.  After a few minutes of astounded remarks, small talk, and a congratulations, Liz slipped out of the locker room via the messenger telling her that her match was up.  

                This time as she walked down the ramp, she paused to smile and enjoy the screams and chants in her ears, not just running to the ring.  The announcers commented on it.  Well, J.R. did, anyway, King was too busy making 'other' comments about her.  Liz slipped into the ring, next to Trish.  Trish smiled, and they hugged quickly, each wishing the other good luck.  Jazz's boring music started, and she stomped to the ring, followed closely by Theodore Long.  

                "Remember," J.R. said as Jazz shot a dirty, arrogant look at Liz and Trish, "That the last time Jazz and Liz were in a ring together, Jazz threw her _from the turnbuckle _into the steel steps."  

                Liz clenched her jaw suddenly, remembering that match as she passed a look to Trish.  Trish nodded at her in reply.  The first person who is pinned, KO-ed, or submits, is eliminated, and then the remaining two duke it out.  Trish and Liz had exchanged a few quick words and had decided quickly to get Jazz out of the picture.  As soon as the bell rang, Jazz jumped toward Liz.  They exchanged right hooks while Trish stood a ways away, pressing herself against the turnbuckle.  Jazz pushed Liz to the ropes, and bent down, waiting for her to return.  Trish bounced against the ropes near her and delivered a bulldog.  Liz leapt over Jazz's fallen body, sprung to the second rope, and performed a Lionsault (compliments of Chris Jericho).  Trish pulled Jazz to her feet and held her back as Liz chopped Jazz a few times in the chest.  Trish backed away once more.  Liz delivered a few small moves to temporarily stun Jazz before pushing her to a sitting position.  At this point, Theodore Long was screaming at ringside.  Liz jerked her head to Trish, who did a handstand on the bottom rope, hooked her legs around Jazz's head, and pulled her down.  The brunette left her to deal with Jazz as she headed toward the ring announcer.  She backed away as Liz grabbed the chair and climbed on the turnbuckle.  The ref was busy with Jazz and Trish.  At the top, Liz waited until Theodore Long was in her sights.  She leapt off of the turnbuckle, curling forward to put the chair at the bottom of her boots, and extended her legs as she reached Theodore.  The chair cracked against his skull, and he fell to the mat, heavily dazed or unconscious.  Liz jumped to her feet, a tad dizzy after hitting the mat, but not much worse for the wear as she leapt into the ring.  Jazz had started to gain momentum when she came into the ring.  When Trish fell, Liz sprung onto Jazz, blindsiding her so she could get in a spine buster. Trish stumbled to her feet as Liz dragged Jazz upward.  Liz snapped something quickly to Trish, and she ran to the other side of the ring.  Liz pushed Jazz as hard as she possibly could to Trish.  Jazz was going to go for a flying clothesline, but Trish ducked, yanking on the top rope and sending Jazz sprawling on the outside.  Liz sprinted forward, and Trish knelt on all fours.  Liz placed her right foot on Trish's back, and then her left on the top rope, still continuing with her momentum.  As soon as she hit the rope, she turned it into a Swanton Bomb.  The move could've been easily overshot, and she could've landed on the barrier, but she executed it perfectly.  Grimacing from the pain in her ribs, Liz pushed Jazz into the ring with Trish, catching her breath.  Just then Vince McMahon's music started to play.  Trish and Jazz kept going at it.  Vince remained at the top of the ring, a confident smirk on his face.

                "Since you're so apt to use weapons," he said, eyeing the discarded steel chair.  His voice boomed across the arena as Jazz hit the mat.  "This match is now a HARDCORE, falls count ANYWHERE match."  The crowd cheered, and Liz rolled her eyes, focusing on Jazz, until she caught movement at the top of the ramp.  Rodney Mack sprinted to the ring, chair in hand.  Liz groaned, and shouted to Trish.  The blond nodded, concentrating on Jazz harder now.  Liz readied herself on the turnbuckle.  She leapt as Rodney came closer, ready to splash him, but Rodney jerked the chair up, moved to the side, and caught her in the ribs with it.  Liz spiraled away from the chair on contact and crashed into the steel ramp with a sharp cry of pain.  Rodney took the chance to leer at her for a second, and then slipped into the ring.  He stood before Trish, clapping the steel chair in his hands, backing Trish into a turnbuckle, pleading with him.  Liz gritted her teeth, clutching her ribs, trying to stagger to her feet.  She let out a strangled cough, thick blood coating her throat as she managed to stumble to the apron, where she clutched onto the fabric to hold her up, breathing heavily.  Trish was lying sprawled out in the middle of the ring, a thin line of blood creasing her forehead.  Jazz was crawling toward Trish, and Rodney was standing against the turnbuckle, a large red handprint on his face from a slap from Trish.  Jazz covered Trish, and the ref eagerly slapped his hand to the mat.  

                "1…" he shouted.  Liz pulled herself up onto the apron.  "2…" She falteringly stood up, pushing herself to reach the two.  Rodney took three steps forward, but stopped as he looked at the ramp.  Goldberg was running down to the ring.  Liz stole a glance as she started to leap to break up the pin, confused before she remembered the feud that Goldberg and Rodney had – and the fact that Rodney had evaded him earlier.  Rodney, however, didn't waste time trying to stare down the sprinting Goldberg.  He turned, grabbed an arm around Liz's waist, and threw her back into the turnbuckle as the "3!" sounded.  Liz felt her neck jerk backward as her back hit the turnbuckle and she snapped to the mat.  Rodney grabbed the chair and bounced on his feet, waiting for Goldberg to make it to the ring.  Jazz lumbered up, and slipped out of the ring, looking beneath it for weapons as Liz slowly used the turnbuckle ropes to stand.  Goldberg hit Rodney with a savage clothesline.  She crawled along the side of the ring with the ropes so that she stood behind Rodney, who was just standing up.  She took a step or two forward.  Because of her view, she didn't see Goldberg get in front of Rodney, crouching down.  She didn't see Goldberg rush forward and dive shoulder-first like a javelin to Rodney.  At the last second, as Liz reached to blindside Rodney, he moved, and she was hit with the spear.  Letting out a yell of pain, she crumpled into a ball, hands clutching at her ribs.  The thick, choking blood that had slowly made its way to her throat slowly went faster now.  She spat it out, gritting her teeth again, trying to kneel up, but failing.  Goldberg swore profusely as he watched Rodney make his way up the ramp, taunting him.  Jazz stood up and chose that moment to attack Liz in a series of stomps and kicks, mostly to her now-injured ribs, relishing each cry that Liz gave out every time her boot snapped into her.  

                "Ready to give up?" Jazz taunted as she jerked Liz to her feet.  Liz didn't say anything in reply.  Jazz delivered a German Suplex quickly.  She didn't stop her assault, and quickly grabbed a handful of Liz's hair to pull her to her swaying feet.  After a moment of debate, Jazz picked Liz off of the mat, pressing her ribs to her shoulder, her arms around Liz's waist, constricting.  Liz winced as Jazz's shoulder jutted into her ribs.  Thinking quickly, she weaseled an inch or two down – as much as her grip would allow – and gave Jazz a ruthless head-butt.  She grasped Jazz's head in her hands as she flipped over Jazz and bent down, dragging Jazz down with her.  Jazz fell, her back crashed against Liz's, and then, with a small bounce, landed on her neck near Liz.  Standing up slowly after catching her breath, her hand still slung over her ribs in a protective gesture, Liz grabbed the steel chair that'd been lying on the mat, trying to get rid of the dizzy feeling that intoxicated her.  As Jazz stood up, Liz smacked the chair over her head.  As Jazz hit the ground, Liz faltered and sunk on her left knee before pushing up to deliver three more deafening chair shots.  Liz grimaced as the pain in her ribs began to get worse, as did her dizziness.  She sunk down to pin Jazz.

                "1…2…" as the ref almost said three, Jazz kicked out.  Liz groaned, resting on the mat, staring upward at the lights before sliding out of the ring and returning to a half-standing Jazz, who took one long look at the sledgehammer nestled in Liz's arms and stood up, ignoring the sharp, biting pain in her head.  Liz took a swing to Jazz's ribs, but was careful not to hit too high or too hard to save from putting Jazz out of action for quite a while.  She didn't hit as hard as she could, but hard enough.  Jazz slammed into the mat, let one scream of pain out, and clutched at her ribs, too.  Liz slowly pinned Jazz.  

                "1…2…" Liz felt Jazz try to wiggle beneath her grasp, and she pushed all of her weight onto Jazz, "3!"  Liz rocked backward on the balls of her feet, resting her back against the ropes, casting a long look toward Vince McMahon, who stood at the top of the ramp, fury in his eyes.  Slowly, she spat the collected blood out from her mouth and let out a relief-filled smile as the ref raised her hand.  

                For a moment as she managed to stand in the light of the camera flashes and spotlights, she managed to forget everything else, and play to the fans, a true smile on her face.  She'd finally gotten the No. 1 contendership for the title.  Now all she had to do was get the title.

                Easier said then done.

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**Author's Note:  **_Yes!  I got this done before my trip!  Sad when I have nothing better to do on my birthday then sit on the computer, but oh well.  Anyway, I'm off to go and celebrate…  Peace out people, and please review!_

_(This chapter was a bit long, eh?)_

_LittleKnux2008_


	20. Chapter XX : Enemy Mine

**Author's Note:  **_I'm finally back from my vacation, and we finally got our new computer, so it doesn't freeze up every second!  Bad thing is, though, all of my files are on our old computer and I won't have them until Sunday.  So I'm going to start a new chapter of a story and hope that I remember enough of what I typed.  Please review!_

**Disclaimer:  **_Own nothing but _Willow___, Liz, Dominique and Lee.  _

*                              *                              *                              *                              *

_Dangerous Business_

_Chapter XX_

_Smackdown__!_

_9:28 P.M___

                Liz closed her eyes slightly as she stared at the monitor.  White, gray, and black dots scrambled together on the screen as static rumbled slowly from the speakers.  Her left leg was bent up in front of her, her chin resting on her knee, and her right leg tucked beneath her.  A heavy sigh whispered through her as she opened her eyes again, staring at the snowing screen.  Her jade eyes were unfocused on the screen as she thought of what Willow had told her.

                It was a bit much to hear, too much to believe, and way too much to accept.  The brunette sighed again, lazily wrapping her arms around her left leg.  Willow had to be lying.  She had to have seen something in Rob's eyes that wasn't there.  

                But Willow was never wrong about these things…ever.  

                Liz lolled her head to the side, taking a small breath, exhaling slowly.  Why did things like this always happen to her and not someone else in the world?  

                She stubbornly pushed away any knowledge that Willow was almost always right.  Rob didn't love her.  If he did, then why would he break up with her?  Liz nodded slightly, a little more confident in that.  

                But what if Willow was right?

                Liz growled to herself, jerking from her position on the couch.  Truth to be told, she had thought of that many, many times, each time shoving the answer away.  It would be too painful to accept something like that.  She didn't know whether or not it was true anyway.  Vaguely, she wondered what Willow's point in telling her that.  It's not like she could go up to Rob (her EX-boyfriend) and ask if he still loved her.  Besides, she thought, the answer is no.  And even though she knew that, the truth she believed in stabbed at her heart, the echoes of questions that she'd asked in the past week clawing at her mind, begging for answers.  

                If she didn't get out of this room, she'd probably drive herself nuts.  Liz pressed her fingers to her temple, savagely blocking out all thoughts of Rob.  Her thoughts curled to Brock, satisfied that _that problem he'd posed had been eliminated.  She'd done what Willow had suggested – gone to him, telling him that she didn't need a relationship.  At that point, it had sounded too bland and like a soap opera, she was ready to crawl in a hole and die.  Heck, she would dig the hole herself.  But then Brock had spoken his part, stumbling over an apology, and promising that'd he always be there for her as a friend._

                Well, it was one for many, Liz thought dryly.  Lately, it seemed as if her friends were slowly drifting away from her.  It didn't help that given recent events she tried to push them away, but normally they would poke and prod until she gave way.  This time, they left her well enough alone.  If that was what I wanted, Liz had wondered, why did it seem to make her feel all the more depressed?  

                And even Dominique, her own sister, was basically avoiding her.  Every time they talked, Dominique seemed to have to go and meet Shane.  Liz knew well enough that Dominique wouldn't have made a certain, precise time for Shane to meet her, and was suspicious when she scurried from the room, heading away from the men's locker rooms.  Liz, however, left her alone, deciding to bug her about it later.  

                Now, she was alone in the Diva's locker room, keeping company for the broken monitor, refusing to go into Jeff and Matt's room, knowing full well that Jeff was having a match, and Lita and Matt were alone and didn't want to be interrupted.  She also knew that she should be cheering on Jeff _and Edge in their match against each other.  But she didn't want to move from the hard, cold bench in the empty locker room.  Reality bit at her heels, but she ignored it now.  It was better to pretend and be happy then realize reality.  Her life had been scattered in so many pieces, she wasn't sure which pieces to put back first, if any.  _

                "Elizabeth?" questioned a voice from outside, a firm knock on the door.  Liz blinked, still staring at the monitor as she answered.

                "Yea?" 

                "Your match is up in five…  Lita is going to be there in three, if you want to talk to her or avoid her," said a nervous voice from the other side of the door.  Liz stood up and walked through the door, pausing only to take a quick glance at her wrestling outfit, which was the same thing as she'd worn for the Triple Threat Match, only this time it was purple.  The stage hand smiled at her as she walked out, and she ran a quick glance over him.  He was just about as tall as her – maybe an inch or two taller, somewhat muscled, with short blond hair.  She smiled, trying to ease him.

                "Did you hear about what happened during Jeff and Edge's match?"

                He glanced at her shyly, shifting his weight from foot to foot, "Well…  Edge basically had the match won when Evolution came down.  What's left of them…" he trailed off, seeing the scowl tipping at her lips.

                "What happened?" she repeated flatly.  She knew Edge and Jeff would probably be all right – it was only Randy and Rick, and they had been through worse before.  And then she remembered that her little sister had been out as Jeff's valet.  The need for information became more urgent.

                "They attacked Edge and Jeff with steel chairs," the stagehand said, stopping abruptly.  Liz closed her eyes quietly, and opened them again, a renewed worry in her heart.  She'd taken it upon herself to keep an eye out for Dominique, and she'd been too obsessed in her sorrows to help her sister out of trouble. 

                "What happened to Dominique?" she asked.  When he faltered, not saying anything, she sighed, "Just spit it out."

                "Randy…  He scared her into a corner…" he took a breath.  Liz clenched her jaw.  "And started…  Well, he flirted with her for a little bit and then kissed her…" he said hurriedly.  Her fists balled up.

                "And then what?" she struggled to keep her voice down.  

                "He punched her, and then left.  Jeff is all right, just a few cuts.  Edge…  The doctors say that he has a concussion at the least.  Dominique is okay, too."

                She breathed a small sigh of relief, "Thanks," she looked at his tag, "Mike.  See you around," she added, making her way to the curtains, cursing herself all the way.

*                              *                              *                              *                              *

                Liz and Lita sized each other up in the ring.  They had already agreed that anything that went on in the ring stayed in the ring, not behind screen.  Lita had been the fan favorite, but not by much.  Both Divas reached forward and grappled, each trying to overpower the other.  Liz placed her ankles behind Lita's, pulled her arms away from Lita's neck, and shoved her in the chest hard.  Lita, not being able to stumble backward, snapped to the mat.  As she stood up, Liz performed a spinning heel kick.  Even after her heel crashed into Lita's jaw, the spunky redhead didn't fall, just took a few steps backward, leaning on the ropes for leverage.  Liz slipped in a few loud chops before trying to whip Lita to the other side, but Lita reversed.  As Liz bounded back from the ropes, she slid beneath Lita's dropkick.  She wasn't quick enough to move out from under the falling body, but did manage to get her knees up to bruise Lita's stomach.  Liz stood up, her knees giving a little spark of pain in disapproval.  She ignored them, however, as she swept Lita's feet from beneath her, and yanked her up by the hair, and shoved her to the ropes.  As she returned, Liz did a low dropkick, her feet crashing against Lita's kneecaps, wincing at the yelp of pain Lita emitted.  She pulled Lita to her feet, pushing her to the turnbuckle.  Once there, on shaky knees, Lita fought back with hard right hooks, and a bulldog.  Liz stood up a bit slower after the bulldog, dodging the chop headed for her and trying a right hook which was blocked and followed by a left hook, which Liz blocked.  Liz wrapped their intertwined arms and pulled Lita toward her, bashing her forehead against Lita's.  The two stumbled backward, getting their bearings.  As Lita came forward, Liz dived down.  She hooked her arm around Lita's legs, pulling them down.  Lita's knees hit the mat first, and she fell from there.  Liz stood up quickly, climbing the turnbuckle as Lita stood up.  Liz leapt from the turnbuckle to splash Lita, but at the last second, Lita pulled off a sharp dropkick.  Liz went skidding across the ring for a second, the canvas burning her skin as she did, her ribs, where the dropkick had landed, searing with pain.  

                Lita jerked her to her feet, delivering a side slam followed quickly by a Twist of Fate by Lita.  This time, Lita climbed to the turnbuckle as Liz stood up, stumbling.  Lita was able to deliver a Huracurrana.  

                "1…2…" the ref counted the pin.  Liz kicked out before 3.  Lita looked behind her to see if it was really a 3, or just close, but the referee was nowhere in sight.  Distracted, Lita stood up, looking for the referee.  He was at the other side of the ring, arguing with Rick Flair.  Lita swore, glancing down at Liz, who was on her hands and knees, quickly recovering.  Lita stalked over to Rick, gently pushing the ref away and delivering a hard slap followed by a punch to Rick Flair.  The ref shouted at them, trying to get Lita away from Rick as Randy slipped into the ring.  He barreled toward Lita, completely ignoring Liz.  The ref turned sharply toward Randy, placing his body between he and Lita.  As he screamed at Randy, Rick elbowed Lita in the face, and she stumbled back into a face-breaker.  Liz pulled Lita up, extremely aware of Randy and Rick standing by the apron of the ring.  As soon as Lita relented to her pulling, and stood on her feet, Liz leveled her with a half nelson.  She pushed away the pain still present in her ribs, and the dizziness thudding through her skull enough to pull out a belly-to-belly suplex.  As she went for the pin, the ref wasn't present.  He was once again screaming at Rick, ordering him to retreat to the back, but Rick wasn't listening, just trying to get through the ropes which the ref was blocking.  Liz groaned, standing up, knowing to remain pinning Lita would do no good.  She stalked over to Rick, much as Lita had, and punched him.  Randy entered the ring again, dragging Lita to her feet, slamming his fists against her face.  He shoved her into the ropes, pulling off a back breaker.  As Liz turned, looking at Lita sprawled out on the mat just where she'd left her, she shot a warning look to Rick as he finally retreated to the back.  She dragged Lita to her feet, delivering a neck breaker.  Quickly, she applied the move she'd used on Nidia the week before.  The hold was effective.  After a minute of the sleeper, Lita had been knocked out.  Liz accepted the title, not knowing that Randy and Rick had a hand in her win.  She checked on Lita as Randy slipped into the ring, demanding a microphone, and then demanding the people in the back to play the footage from the match.  Liz's face fell, her jaw snapping together and her eyes boring a hole through Randy.

                Randy, however, stepped forward.  "You see, Rick and I have been watching you since you took Hunter out of action," he stepped closer, so that they were mere inches apart.  "We came out here for two things.  1, to ensure your win for the title," her eyes flashed angrily, "And 2," he stepped closer now, so close that their chests were touching, "To offer you a spot in Evolution."  Liz gaped at him, wondering why they would want her in their group.  As she grabbed the microphone from his hand to snap the obvious answer, she paused, the fans' chant of "Just say no!" echoing through her head.  Slowly, a smile spread across her face.  Not a gentle smile, but a cruel one.  She raised the mike to her lips, watching Randy's eyes for his reaction.

                "Yes."

*                              *                              *                              *                              *

**Author's Note:  _I just noticed a mistake.  The chapter with the match with Nidia should be on RAW, not Smackdown!, so this chapter is on Smackdown!  Anyway, please review!_**


	21. Chapter XXI : Sides of the Battle

**Author's Note:  **_I've started to have mixed thoughts about what to do with this Evolution angle, and I've rewritten certain parts of the chapter, so sorry if it seems a little choppy.  I watched SD yesterday, and all I had to say is damn Brock for ruining my story!  But now I think I just may figure it into the story.  Shoot me now; I've planned eight chapters after this.  Knowing me, it'll change and it'll be worthless.  Anyway, thanks to all of the reviewers!  I finally made it to 20 chapters and 50 reviews!  Keep reviewing please!_

_*                              *                              *                              *                              *_

_Dangerous Business_

_Chapter XXI_

_RAW_

_10:35 P.M.___

                Nobody had missed the mood change in some of the wrestlers.  All of the stagehands treaded carefully, never mentioning Evolution or Liz for fear someone overhearing.  They made it a point to avoid most of the wrestlers instead of ogling and mingling with them.  Most of all, they avoided Evolution.  The sight of the frequent looks passed between Randy and Liz, the quick, stolen kisses when Rick turned around were enough to make them sick.  Had the Liz that would talk to them every once in a while to make them feel at ease around her always been like this?  Had she always been this conniving, contemplating Diva?  The first stagehand that had approached them to give them their locker room number had left insulted and humiliated.  And it wasn't just the stagehands that were in the mood to wish for the old Liz back.  A number of people were angry and confused.  Austin…  Well, Jeff had gone to see what he made of it, and had walked out of the locker room, stunned by what Austin had said.  Austin had complete faith that his daughter wasn't completely aligning herself with Evolution.  When Jeff asked why, he replied that she was his daughter.  Jeff couldn't force himself to believe Steve through his own confusion.  Matt was furious, Lita and Dominique were depressed.  Edge, Brock, and Chris were still shocked.  But they all held on to the vague hope that it would work out in some way.  Liz wouldn't check her voicemail, and her box was full.  Some of the wrestlers tried to approach her, but the Evolution locker room door was under lock and key.  Even Coach couldn't get a word to her, or any others of Evolution.  Her recent 'switching of sides', however, had led to a nasty exchange of words between Matt and Rob before RAW had started.  The replay was currently playing on the monitor in the Evolution locker room, where Liz sat, watching the monitor with peculiar interest.  Randy and Rick were absent, having gone to get some food.  

                Matt had been wandering the hallway, on his way to the locker room he and Jeff shared, when he had run into Rob Van Dam.  For a second, Matt stared at Van Dam, his eyes boring int9o Rob's, who refused to look away.  

                "You were right," he had said simply, regarding RVD carefully, "Liz is a bitch."  Her upper lip curled at the insult, not expecting much from RVD, much less expecting for him to defend her. 

                He chose his words carefully, "I never said that she was a bitch," he paused, "Come to think of it, I've never talked to you before…  And for a good reason."

                Matt sneered, his face twisting into the ugly expression.  "But you thought it.  And I'm sure you called her worse then that."  Rob sighed heavily, annoyed, pushing the sliver of anger off of his face.  

                "Actually, Matt, I haven't," he cleared, and lifted his eyebrow at Matt, "And why are you so quick to insult her?"  Matt gaped at him for a second.

                "You saw what happened on Thursday, didn't you?" he huffed, "She betrayed me, she betrayed her family, and she betrayed her friends.  She's an underhanded bitch."

                Rob fought to keep his hands from moving from his sides and attacking Matt, "Are you so sure that she betrayed you?" he asked calmly, "A few people don't seem to think so."  

                Matt scoffed, "They're wrong.  Did you see her today?  She was all over Randy Orton.  _Her enemy._"  Rob lazily studied Matt before replying.

                "Apparently they aren't enemies now," he corrected dryly, and Matt fumed. 

                "Well, obviously, you idiot.  Why else would she be acting like such a slut to him?" It was lost on him that Rob's fists clenched suddenly, and he took a suggestive step forward.  Matt met him halfway, their noses inches away from touching.  He sensed the other man's protectiveness about Liz, and almost laughed it off.  Instead, he opened his mouth for another insult.  "I mean, it's Randy Orton she's begging to jump in the sack with," he let out a low chuckle, "And I thought she had bad taste when she was dating you!" Rob lunged for Matt, not really caring that his actions would later make a few questions arise that could endanger the lie he'd created.  Moments later, Matt lay, his hands pressing against his forehead as he blinked at the lights.  Rob was no where in sight.  
    
                        Liz blinked at the monitor for a second, watching as King and J.R. made their comments, but not really listening.  Willow's words shot back at her, but she ignored them, the look on Rob's face as Matt threw useless insults at her.  The brunette bit her lip carefully as the match between Chris Jericho and Test started.  With a pang of guilt, she noticed that the Canadian's attention wavered while the announcers commented on what happened.  
    
                        As the latch in the door turned and opened, Liz jumped up, facing the door to see Randy and Rick.  She forced a smile in return to theirs.
    
                        "What took you guys so long?" she asked.  
    
                        "Ran into your cousin on the way here," Randy sounded amused, "He demanded that we let him talk to you," he let out a small laugh, briefly reminding Liz of Matt, "We reminded him that we're stronger and better then him," he cracked his knuckles with an arrogant smile.  
    
                        "Serves him right," Liz said half-heartedly, "Run into anyone else?" 
    
                        He looked at her curiously before answering, "Nope.  The rest didn't notice us or just left us alone."  Liz nodded, sitting cross-legged on the couch as Randy sat down on the cushion next to her, automatically setting his arm around her shoulders.  "But we did run into McMahon."  He looked over to register her expression as he added, "He seemed pretty mad that you 'interrupted' daily flow of the company because so many people are distracted, plus the fight that broke out between Rob and Matt.  Matt, apparently, has a concussion."
    
                        "Interrupted the way things work in the company?" Liz asked unbelievingly, "I mean, come on!  That is what we're supposed to do!  The little bastard is just trying to do me under."
    
                        "I wouldn't call him little…" 
    
                        "The point is," Rick said, cutting off Randy, "McMahon made us a match.  He said it's going to be Evolution versus Matt, Edge and Trish.  Your would-be friends," he added unnecessarily.
    
                        Liz scoffed, "Matt, I argue with him all of the time.  He hates me; he just tries to hide it for the rest of them.  Trish, I never really trust her – I mean, I figured Jeff was the next in line."
    
                        "At any rate, you better get ready for the match," Rick replied.  Liz nodded, heading for her stuff, but Randy firmly gripped her arm.  He held up a white bag and set it in her lap.  
    
                        "We took the liberty of stopping by to pick up a little present for you," he made a face, "Now, we can't have you tramping around in baggy clothes," Liz would've laughed if it'd been anybody but him saying that, referring to her old clothes.  "So here's what you're going to wear from now on."  
    
                        Liz smiled, kissing him on the cheek and giving Rick a hug before heading into the bathroom to change, "Thanks, guys," she said before disappearing into the bathroom.  Randy simply tore off the sweat pants he'd worn to the arena, and finished putting the rest of his gear on.  Rick, however, had to wait until Liz got out.  When she did, both men registered their expressions openly.  Randy fought to keep his jaw from falling, and Rick couldn't keep the smug look off of his face.  She twirled around to emphasize the outfit.  "How do I look?" she asked, which had a completely obvious answer.  Rick smiled as he went to change.  Randy simply walked up to her, wrapping his arms around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder.  
    
                        "You look gorgeous," he said as they looked to the mirror in front of them.  Ignoring his answer, she studied the outfit.  It was a skimpy tube top and a pair of short-shorts with a zipper up the front, all in a pine-green color.  She tilted her head up, wrapping her arms around Randy's neck and pulling him down for a kiss.  
    
                        Rick walked out of the bathroom, amused by what he saw, "I just can't leave you two alone for one minute, can I?"  Liz laughed as they broke apart, her eyes twinkling shamelessly.
    
                        "I think you know the answer to that one," she replied.  
    
                        "Your match is up next!" a stagehand squeaked through the door.  The three smiled, exchanging a handshake as they left and walked down the hall.  
    
                        "Ready to kick some serious ass?" Randy asked, stretching his arms out.  She looked down at her title for a second, and looked up, an evil glint in her eye.
    
                        "I was born ready for this," she responded, closing her eyes briefly, shouldering away any thoughts beside the match.  
    
    *                                       *                                       *                                       *                                       *
    
                        Liz didn't force an expression as Randy tagged her in, just focused her attention onto Trish, who was lying in their corner of the ring, reaching for Matt or Edge.  Randy and Rick had choose to separate Trish once they got the chance.  Matt was worn down, but Edge hadn't come into the ring yet.  Liz grabbed a handful of Trish's hair, picking her up and delivering a backbreaker.  Trish cried out with pain, flopping down to the mat uselessly.  Liz didn't stop her assault, tugging Trish to her feet every time, snapping her to the mat with a face-breaker, a German Suplex, and a Downward Spiral.  She forced Trish onto her knees.  Liz pressed her knee into Trish's back – the place they'd been working on, grabbed her hands, and pulled backward.  The Canadian Diva let out a howl of pain.  Liz held the move until Matt rushed through the ropes, savagely kicking her in the gut to force her to break the hold.  Liz immediately picked up Trish, and performed a Twist of Fate, stopping only to taunt Matt.  Placing her boot on Trish's back so she couldn't crawl to Edge, Liz looked to Flair and Randy to realize that Randy had disappeared.  She quickly stood Trish up, slamming her into the turnbuckle.  Soon Trish stood up, bent over as she regained her breath.  Liz hit the ropes, dropkicking Trish in the forehead, sending her skidding across the ring a few feet.  With the snap of her boot to Trish's face, the ref didn't hear Randy crack the steel chair over Edge's skull on the outside.  Matt, however, tried to splash Randy, but Randy slammed the chair into him mid-air.  The ref turned to see what happened, and Randy fell to the ground, playing along.  As the ref yelled at them, Liz caught her title that Rick tossed her and bashed Trish over the head with it.  As she pinned Trish, the ref counted it.
    
                        "1…2…3!" he raised Evolution's arms half-heartedly.  Randy and Rick passed a smile, tossing the ref out of the ring.  They yelled something to Liz, and she slid out of the ring, grabbing a steel chair.  The other two grabbed hold of one of Trish's arms.  Liz slipped into the ring quickly.  Her eyes traveled to Trish, who was begging for her not to do it.  Her grip tightened on the chair, blinking away the sweat that had gathered on her eyelashes.  Trish struggled, her eyes never leaving Liz's.  A slow smile spread across Liz's face, and Trish dropped her head, accepting the punishment as her stomach did unnecessary flips.  She glanced up at the sickening crack of flesh and bone bruising against steel.  Suddenly, she was free.  Looking to her left, she saw Randy laid out, a thin line of blood trickling down his forehead.  Trish crawled backward as Rick charged at Liz.  She grinned recklessly, fire burning in her eyes as she sidestepped his punch and crashed the rim of the chair into his upper back.  Randy struggled to stand.  Keeping her momentum, she swung the chair around to crack into Randy's face.  He fell unceremoniously, and both members of Evolution somehow found the strength to roll out of the ring.  Liz took a quick glance at Trish before demanding a microphone, the crowd's happy roars pounding against her skull.  She lifted the microphone to her mouth.
    
                        "Did you _really think that I would join you two in Evolution after all that you've done?" she asked, looking amused as Rick and Randy stumbled up the steel ramp, leaving behind splatters of blood.  "Hunter tried to ruin my career.  I put him out for four months," she added, "You two attack my best friend, my cousin, and my sister last week."  She leaned forward, "And if you lay one more hand on any of my friends or family, I'll put you out, just like I did to Hunter."  Rick shouted something at her, and she continued smiling, not caring enough to decipher what he just said, just looked triumphantly at Randy Orton, who knelt down on the ramp, clutching at his bloody forehead.  She tossed the microphone to the mat, and helped Trish up, raising their hands in victory.  Trish gave her a quick hug.  Liz turned back to Randy and Rick as they exited.  _
    
                        "I'll get you back for this!" Randy screamed.  Liz just smiled, ignoring him as she relished in the cheers of the crowd.
    
                        She really should've paid more attention to that comment.
    
    *                                       *                                       *                                       *                                       *
    
    **Author's Note:  **_Hope you guys enjoyed this!  Please review!_
    
    _LittleKnux2008_
    
    _In the next chapter…_
    
    _--Rematch for the Women's Title_
    
    _--Start of Evolution's Payback_
    
    _And a few other things…_
    
    _Dang, I sound like a commercial guy!  Anyway, please review and thank you!_


	22. Chapter XXII : Fragile Balance

_Dangerous Business_

_Chapter XXII_

_Smackdown!_

_8:00 P.M___

Liz sighed as she lay down on the leather couch in the locker room she and her cousins were sharing.  On the monitor in front of her, Smackdown started.  She paid it no attention, other to press the mute button down on the small remote lying next to her.  Instead, her eyes were focused on the Women's title lying beside her on the coffee table.

            Finally things were starting to turn right.  Her friends had apologized for believing that she'd joined Evolution-well, most of them, at least-and their friendships with her were becoming stronger.  And Brock-she couldn't hide the grin that came onto her face at the thought of the kiss they'd shared the night before.  She'd gotten her payback on Evolution-twice, actually-for what they'd done to her.

            Okay, so there were a few holes in this almost-perfect life she'd dug up, the biggest hole being Rob.  Every time her thoughts wandered to him, she felt an unbearable pain, along with another emotion she couldn't describe.  Willow's words came to her when her thoughts led down that path.  The feelings rampaging in her were killing her.  She wanted to hate him for what he'd done to her, the pain he'd caused her.  She wanted to love him, to relive what they had.

            It was all so confusing.

            The other problems in her life seemed so…insignificant compared to her problems of emotion with Rob.  Dominique was rushing off to talk to Shane at precise times, which Liz knew wasn't true, as Shane came in almost every time looking for her.  Evolution would be looking for revenge, and she'd have to patch things up with the fans, who, thankfully forgave much easier than Matt.

            Matt was another problem.  Liz couldn't understand why or how Lita could love him.  He made no move to forgive her or take back the words he insulted her with when she was with Evolution.  Liz had walked in on a conversation he'd been having on his cell phone, and he'd made it clear to the person he'd been speaking with that he thought she was, frankly, a bitch.

            Since she'd made it no secret that she'd overheard him, he'd been making comments about her whenever he got the chance, whether it was in front of her or behind her back.  Liz was torn between her pride and her sense of protecting Lita.  If she let her pride come through, it would no doubt lead to a fight between her and Matt.  Matt would make Lita choose between them. 

            Liz pushed her hair behind her ears as she stood up, stifling a yawn.  The plane ride to Connecticut from Arizona had been brutal.  She'd left Arizona at about 2:00 A.M, and gone onto 5 connecting flights until she'd gotten to Connecticut.  All curtosey of the idiot who booked a whole plane for the wrestlers every time they left.  He'd apparently rented a way-too-small plane, and she, along with about 10 others, had to get to Connecticut on their own.  

            Liz glanced at the monitor, where Crash and The Hurricane were fighting.  Letting out another small yawn, she pressed her palm to her forehead.  She would have to go out there in about 10 minutes for her re-match against Lita.  

            But first, she was going to go visit Rob, for the sake of her sanity.  

            Liz grabbed the title as she walked out of the room, hating the way she already knew where his locker room was.  As she approached, she bit down on her tongue lightly.  What was she doing here, anyway?  

            She knew she couldn't hate or love him, but there was no avoiding him, either.  She had to do something…  

            Liz knocked on the door, biting down harder when she realized that she was feebly hoping that he wasn't there.  

            Rob answered the door, trying and failing to hide his shock.  She pressed a small smile forth, feeling awkward and unwanted.  Still, she stood her ground.

            "Hi Rob," she said, in such an unemotional voice that she briefly thought it'd come from someone else.  

            "Hi Liz," he said slowly, opening the door wider.  "Come on in."  She bowed her head, keeping distance between them as she slipped through the door.  Liz stood stiffly in front of the bench.

            "We didn't leave on the best of terms, did we?" she asked quietly.  

            He shifted, his eyes skittering away from hers, not wishing for the first time that Paul hadn't gotten involved.  "No," he replied his tone even and quiet, "We didn't."  Rob glanced up at her, effectively hiding his pain.  She was doing fine without him, and the knowledge hurt.  

            "Look," she said hesitantly, and stopped.  Gritting her teeth and pushing her eyes to the ground, she continued, "I keep trying to hate you.  But I can't."

            Rob stepped forward, his hand cupping her cheek, not caring about the consequences of what he would say.  Her eyes jerked upward, and he almost shivered at the expression on her face.

            Fear.

            "When-when I broke up with you, Liz," her expression changed to something between anger and pain, "I didn't want to.  Our relationship…  That was the most important thing to me.  But I had to let you go, Liz, for your own good."

            She stepped back, her jaw clenching.  "For my own good?  You think that what you did to me what for my own good?"  

            "I-I can't explain," he said, shielding away from her, his hand dropping to his side.  Looking up wearily, he asked, "Is there ever a chance of us…getting back together?"

            Her gaze struck back to him again.  She clenched her fist to stop it from shaking as she looked away.  "N-No," she said, blinking furiously.  "There isn't."  All reasons of why she came gone in her mind, she gave him one last glance, fighting to keep her eyes from tearing.  The look on her face bored itself into her mind, and she fled, wanting to get away.  He stood his ground, watching as his locker room door swung shut.  

            After the first few steps, Liz slowed her pace to a shaking walk.  Wrapping her arms around herself, she remembered what his words were.

            _'I didn't want to…'_

_            'Our relationship…was the most important thing to me…'_

She sighed.  She had gone to Rob to patch things up, to leave as…friends?  Perhaps, but she came out with more questions, and more pain.  And the knowledge that Willow was right.  

            Liz glanced back at the door to his locker room, and froze abruptly, jade eyes widening, not believing what she saw.

            Why on Earth was Paul Heyman going into Rob's locker room?

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *

A/N:  Sorry it took so long to update!  R/R!

(Sorry it was short!)


	23. Chapter XXIII : Pretense

_Dangerous Business_

_Chapter XXIII_

_Smackdown!_

_8:20 P.M.___

Liz blew the hair out of her face as she slowly slid into the splits, keeping a watchful eye on the monitor, just in case something happened.  Not that she would notice-she was too wrapped up in her thoughts to pay attention to the wrestlers on the screen.  

            What the heck was Heyman doing?

            _'For all I know, Rob and Heyman are planning something,' _she thought to herself, not believing a word of it.  Possibilities roamed through her mind.  As her muscles burned lightly, she pulled out of the splits and continued the rest of her stretches.  

            _'Maybe…' _she pondered, _'Maybe it was Heyman behind…everything.'  _Part of her rejected it immediately, but she took time to consider it.  Pieces fell together, fitting perfectly.  She recalled his words, and she froze.  

            _'It was for your own good…  Our relationship was the most important thing to me…'  _Could she be right…?  Heyman…  She wouldn't put it past him, and the feud between Rob and the Big Show…

            _'Stop it,' _she scolded herself suddenly, _'It's all just wishful thinking.'  _And as soon as she realized what she said, she groaned aloud.  'Wishful thinking'?  Wishful for what, exactly?  Wishful for her and Rob to-

            No.

            Liz licked her chapped lips long before she realized her hands were shaking.  She snapped them back and forth, trying to get the trembling out of them.  

            Damn it, what was wrong with her?  Rob broke up with her, and all of a sudden she starts jumping to conclusions about Paul Heyman visiting Rob…  Just because Heyman could be blackmailing Rob didn't mean it was about her.  

            She wanted something concrete to believe in, and she couldn't find much.  The blackmailing-if Heyman was even doing _that-wasn't about her.  Rob broke up with her, and not because of Heyman.  She was over-analyzing this.  _

            "Liz?" a gentle knocking came from the door, and she closed her eyes, silently thanking for the aversion.  Quietly, she walked up to the door and opened it, giving a small half smile when she saw Brock Lesner on the other side.  "Hey," he said, smiling gently.  "Can I come in?"  She stepped away from the door, nodding her head.  They sat down, talking about things that didn't really matter.  Liz's mind was elsewhere as she spoke, but Brock didn't seem to notice.  

            "It's time for your match, Liz!" cried a voice from behind the door after a few minutes.  Liz passed an apologetic look to Brock, and stood up, making her way to the door, grabbing her title.  He grabbed her hand lightly, and she turned to face him.

            "Hey…  I was wondering if you wanted to valet for me on Monday?" she shifted her weight to her other foot as she stared at him with a blank look on her face.  "You know, my cage match against Vince?"

            Actually, she didn't know, but she played along well enough.  "Sure," she responded, forcing a smile.  He smiled, and leaned down.  She met him halfway.

            For the first moment, as her eyelids slicked open, she felt Rob's tangled hair in her fingers, his beautiful eyes blinking back at her, his arms around her…

            And in the next blink, it was gone.  

            Covering up with a smile, she steadily pulled her arms away from him and darted around the corner into the hallway, not responding to his good luck.  She drew a small breath, wrapping her arms around the back of her head and stretching them.  Liz forced all thoughts away and concentrated on the match.

            Unbidden, thoughts of Rob came to her.  Sighing, she closed her eyes.  Why couldn't things EVER be simple?

            "—so I went and saw Rob—"

            Liz stopped, cocking her head.  She recognized the disembodied voice of Stacy Keibler, but couldn't tell who she was talking to.  

            "What happened?" squealed her companion.  

            "He," Stacy replied breathlessly, "_kissed me."  In a too-loud whisper, she added, "Tongue and all."  Liz shook her head and kept walking, focused on the emotions inside of her.  She rejected it completely.  Rob wouldn't do something like that.  _

            But another part of her wanted to cry, and she wasn't quite sure why.  She didn't love him…did she?  

            Consumed with shock as she continued with her jerky steps to the curtains, she missed the cocky, triumphant look Stacy passed at her, or the way Evolution slipped out behind her, steel chair in hand.

            -                       -                       -                       -                       -


	24. Chapter XXIV : Demons

_Dangerous Business_

_Chapter XXIV_

Liz took a deep breath as she waited for the commercial break to end.  She stood near the end of the stairs, not bothering to wait inside the curtains.  Silently, she punched air, spinning against an opponent only she could see.    As she spun for a roundhouse kick, someone grasped her foot.  She blinked, freezing for a brief moment as she stared into Rick Flair's eyes.  Scowling, she lifting her foot off of his hand and spun the other way, her boot knocking against Randy's jaw.  As she stumbled to regain her balance, Rick Flair looped his arms around her throat, crushing her windpipe.  Quickly, she bent her back down and managed a somersault, cracking Flair's head in the concrete.  She turned directly into Triple H's knee.  As her neck snapped backward, Randy grabbed her head and pulled her to the ground.  

            Liz let out a gritted groan between her teeth, and forced herself to her hands and knees, one hand gripping her pounding head.  Hunter grabbed her hair and jerked her to her feet, screaming into her face.  Calmly, she stared into his eyes, fighting to keep the pain off her face as he pulled at her hair.  She kneed him in the groin.  He jerked back, and she kicked his knee hard.  Randy locked his arms around her waist for a suplex.

            Lying face-up on the floor, Liz lolled her head sideways, closing her eyes tightly when she realized that there was a steel chair lying next to her.  She took a deep breath, and stretched her hand toward it.  As her hand circled it, Hunter stepped on her hand, pushing his weight on her hand.  She bit down on her lip as she curled to the side, punching at the side of his knee, the part where it wasn't padded.  He jerked his foot up, and she jerked her hand back, and rolled to the other side, attempting to stand up.  

            Randy drove his fist into her ribs, and she staggered for a moment, and then tried a spinning heel kick.  He ducked, and dropkicked her standing leg, sending her head crashing against the concrete as her body hit the ground.  Grimacing at the dizzy, painful feeling pounding in her skull, she rolled to her stomach.   

            Rick and Randy pulled her to her knees, grabbing her arms.  She blew her hair out of her face and watched as Hunter picked up the steel chair.  "You do realize," she said, trying to dull the pain in her head, "That the last time you tried something like this, Flair got hit, not me?"

            Hunter ignored her and raised the chair.  She let out a sharp cry as he crashed the steel into her forehead.  She realized that Randy and Rick had dropped her arms momentarily.  Lying with her cheek pressed against the cold concrete, she looked up, to see Hunter smirking down at her.  Her vision started blurring.  Gritting her teeth she closed her eyes tightly, and opened them again.  Warm blood trickled from her forehead, gathering and falling off her eyelashes.  

            She crouched down, taking steady breaths, and turned to Hunter, who kept mocking her.  Liz leapt up from her position, her shoulder slamming into his stomach.  As she hit the ground, she gave a sharp inhale, feeling the pain spread to her shoulder.  

            Almost immediately Randy leapt on top of her, punching her face nonstop, brass knuckles tearing away the skin on her face.  She let out a small cry of pain, hating that she was defenseless as she felt her eyelids start to droop…  Another fist slammed against her chin, and she felt the brass burn along her skin, her head jerking sideways to be met by another one.  

            But suddenly Randy was lifted off of her.  Raising her head slightly, she looked, trying to stay awake as the pain in her head increased.  Liz lifted her head higher, realizing that it was Brock who was in the process of decimating Randy Orton and Rick Flair.  

            But where was HHH?

            Her head spilt with a sharp pain as she moved it side to side, looking for the WWE champion.  When she spotted him falling from a kick from RVD, she froze.

            "R-Rob?" she rasped, the word only coming out as a whisper.  From across the room, Rob Van Dam turned to look as if he heard his name, but he couldn't possibly have heart it.    

            Confused, she struggled to sit up, but failed.  She gingerly set her head back down on the concrete as she began to pass out.

            -                       -                       -                       -                       -                       -

            "Liz?" she flicked open her eyes, and winced at the bright lights around her.  

            "Go away," she said, throwing an arm over her eyes, noticing that the bed, for lack of a better word, was hard.  She groaned, realizing it as the 'beds' they used at the on-campus doctors.  

            "How are you feeling?" interrupted a second voice and she opened her eye halfway.

            "Like shit," she said sourly at the doctor.  For a moment, she closed her eyes again, and then they flashed open.  She sat up, ignoring the crippling pain in her skull.  "The match!"  

            Brock Lesner gently tried to push her back down.  "The match is off for the week."  She reflexively grabbed his hand and twisted it before it touched her.  He didn't move, besides to pull his arm back.  "Are you okay?"

            "I'm not dead yet," she responded through gritted teeth, and swung her legs over the 'bed'.  

            "You can't possibly be thinking that you're going back to that match!" Brock cried, standing in front of her.  She glared at him, her pride flaring.  

            "It's just a chair shot, Brock.  I've done it before," she tried to push past him but he gripped her shoulders tightly and shook her gently.  

            "You're not going out there!  Are you nuts?"

            "Apparently!" she yelled, and jerked backward, stumbling.  As Brock reached out to stop her, she slapped his hand away and found her balance on her own.  "I'm going."

            "She's going to go, whether you like it or not," commented a voice from behind Brock.  It was Jeff.  Brock dropped his arms to his side and sighed.  

            Liz looked away for a brief second.  "Look, I appreciate you saving me from Evolution, I really do.  But I'm the Women's Champion.  I'm not going to back down because of a measly chair shot."

            "A measly chair shot?" Brock echoed.  "He's knocked guys off the roster for weeks with just one chair shot!"

            Licking her lips, she looked back at him, "I'll be fine, Brock.  Lita won't drag this out.  If she's going to win, she'll win fast.  I owe this to her."

            Brock debated for a second, "Be careful out there, okay?" he told her, cupping her face with one hand.  She smiled at him weakly, nodding her head slowly.   

            "Hate to break things up," Jeff called, "But if you're going to do the match, you have to go now."  Brock gave her a small kiss on the cheek before letting her pass.  

            Liz sighed, touching the bandages wrapped around her forehead delicately.  The memory of Brock's soft lips against her cheek strong in her mind, she blocked out all thoughts of Rob, and took a deep breath as she reached the curtains for the second time that night.  Worthlessly, she hoped that Lita wouldn't pull a Hurracarana during the match.

            But it wasn't Lita that she should've been worried about.

            -                       -                       -                       -                       -

A/N:  Okay, I rate this chapter as one of the worst.  Sorry, today's just been a horrible day and I'm not really into this right now.  I'm off for homework now.  Yippee.  Please review!  

P.S.-I know my chapters have been getting shorter.  I started this so I could update more often.  Which would you guys rather have?  Longer chapters & longer wait or shorter chapters & shorter wait?  


	25. Chapter XXV : Point of View

_Dangerous Business_

_Chapter XXV_

            Liz pushed her brown hair out of her eyes as she watched Lita enter the ring, posing for the crowd.  The title was loosely hanging on her shoulder, a microphone in her hand as she watched, jade eyes assessing every detail of Lita.  It was an instinctive skill she'd long since picked up.  The wrong grab on too-loose clothes could cripple both competitors.  Bulky pads must be allowed room, or counters would be no good.  

            Silently running over the long epic list of consequences, she sighed, and raised the microphone to her lips.  "I believe," she ran her tongue over her chapped lips, "That this belongs to you."  She shrugged the Women's Championship off of her shoulder and tossed it.  It landed face up between them.  Lita took a small step forward, eyes keeping track of the brunette even as she looked down at the title.  The redhead kicked the title to the side, stepped forward, and embraced her tightly.  The cheers of the crowd were lost on them as they broke apart.  

            Liz nodded at Lita as they both backed away, slight smiles and grins vanishing, feral looks present now.  Narrowing their eyes in concentration, they sized each other up, calming themselves as they circled like lions, waiting to pounce.  

            As the bell rang, they leapt toward each other.  Liz jerked the slightest bit to the side.  Lita, expecting her to meet her head on, kept in motion forward.  As Liz reached out and looped her arms around Lita's neck, Lita couldn't do anything to stop the forward motion that sent her head over Liz's shoulder.  The brunette leapt down, bringing Lita's chin to slam painfully into her shoulder, her head to her arms, and back again.  The chin-breaker was a dangerous move-a lot of things could go wrong.  Lita, like many others, met the move wrong.  Body still careening forward, her left knee swung forward, landing a little past a foot ahead of her at the same time as Liz leapt down.  The move brought Lita backward, but she was unable to bring her leg back because of the boots she was wearing.  She gasped at the pain that tore at her muscles along her thigh and hip.  Her head throbbed from the part of the move that Liz had intended.

            Liz cursed as she stood.  She had allotted what she thought was time and space enough for Lita's legs to go under her, but apparently she'd done wrong, and Lita was hurting because of it.  The guilt left quickly.  She could apologize later, but now she was focused on the match.

            As Lita knelt upward, Liz bounced off the ropes and delivered a scissors kick to her head.  Lita fell face forward.  As her back hit the mat, Liz was careful not to let her head bounce to the mat as it usually did. 

            "Let's take a second look at that chin-breaker, King," J.R. was saying, shaking his head as his lips pursed, "That was a dangerous move and they-well, Lita-landed it wrong.  That could've torn her muscle," he added.  

            As the reply was brought up, Liz and Lita both ignored it.  Liz pushed Lita into the ropes, and Lita didn't counter.  Liz rushed toward Lita when she bounced back, but the redhead smothered up strength enough to deliver a Hurricarana.  She took in a sharp breath through her gritted teeth as she clutched at her head, all pain returned stronger now.  

            Lita, showing no remorse, tugged Liz up onto her feet and knocked her down with a dropkick.  Liz kicked wildly as she went down, catching Lita in the knee, which gained her the time to recover from the dropkick.  Head pounding, she managed to deliver a weak spear to Lita.  Straddling the redhead, she grabbed a handful of her hair and slammed Lita's head against the canvas in an effort to gain even grounds.  Lita rolled out from under her, disorientated at the least.  

            "You've _got to wonder how much of this beating Liz can take," J.R. said as Lita reversed a throw into the turnbuckle.  Liz's head crashed against the pad protecting the metal, but the pad hardly lessened the blow.  _

            "J.R., what I can't understand is why she even went out here," King mentioned, "There's no way she's going to win this match.  At best, she's at 75% and Lita's well past 100!  Even when they're both doing great, Lita's a challenge."

            Liz saw black dots appearing in her head, and she shook it as she stood.  Lita speared her into the turnbuckle, but as she went for another offensive, Liz managed to kick her in the stomach.  

            The match continued back and forth for a minute, until Lita caught Liz into a DDT.  Head spinning, Liz crumpled into a defensive ball as Lita pulled a few kicks.  Lita was pulling Liz back up when Evolution's music started playing.  The redhead, and now current champion, ignored the men strolling to the ring and lifted Liz for a suplex.  

            "1…2…" the ref counted as his hand slapped the mat.  Liz managed to get a shoulder up, and rubbed at her head, and let a small sigh out.  The makeshift stitches that the doctor had put in had fallen out.  Small trickles of blood ran down her forehead as she struggled to her feet.  

            As Liz bounced back from the ropes, she dropkicked Lita on her left leg.  Lita grimaced and fell to all fours.  Liz, swaying on her feet, grabbed Lita's ankles and pulled them so that they were resting on her shoulders.  Keeping a firm grip on her ankles, she place her feet firmly on Lita's chest, and pushed with her legs while pulling with her arms.  

            Liz dropped the hold long enough to give herself an advantage, and then stood up, looking for the ref, who had been 'distracted', so to speak.  

            Rick Flair had gotten up onto the apron, and was making motions to climb into the ring.  As the ref tried to send him to the back, HHH and Randy slipped into the ring.  Liz backed off, and crouched down as HHH rushed forward, aiming to hit her with the title.  She ducked his coming high shot, but at the last second, he swung the title down to catch her stomach.  She flipped over his arm and landed on her back, her head snapping backward.

            Hunter grabbed her, and picked her up, easily keeping her elevated in the air as he stalked toward the ropes.  He threw her over the ropes, her back slamming against the barricade; her head jerking back to slam against the top of it. 

            As Hunter shoved Liz back into the ring, Randy removed the cover to the turnbuckle.  When Randy stepped back, Lita rushed forward, giving him a low blow.  She staggered to her knees, and then tried to go after Hunter.  Liz wriggled out of his grip and tried to kick him, but he grabbed her foot.  She tried to kick him with her other foot, but he managed to catch her other foot.  He swung her body around, Liz's body colliding with Lita's before Hunter let go.  As he let go, Liz's forehead slammed into the uncovered turnbuckle.  Her body snapped backward forcefully.  

            As the mat shook beneath his feet, Hunter turned to his title, and picked it up.  Randy, after recovering, shot a withering look Lita's way and grabbed Liz's arms behind her and held them there as Hunter tightened his grip on the title.  Rick Flair elbowed the referee, and climbed through the ropes.  

            Hunter smirked as he slammed his title into Liz's head.  Deep crimson blood rolled slowly down her face, a mask of red.  Her head lolled to the side, and HHH slapped her face lightly, mocking her as he did so.  As she opened her jade eyes partway, he swung the title into her stomach again.  

            As he did so, the referee started regaining his bearings.  Randy tossed Lita face first into the turnbuckle, and laid her body out on top of Liz's.  Rick, Randy, and Hunter watched carefully as the ref counted.

            "1…2…3!" the bell rang, but neither of the two opponents could acknowledge it.  Evolution smiled as they headed backstage.  

            As they walked backstage, they ran headlong into a blonde.  She stumbled back, and eyed them with fury in her blue eyes, before pushing past them, mumbling, "Assholes."  Evolution exchanged a look, and wider grins spread across their faces.  Randy and Hunter turned, following the blonde.  

            Hunter grabbed her shoulder and turned her around.  "Dominique?"  She slapped his arm away.

            "Get your hands off, bastard," she snapped, and he smirked as her face changed quickly to pain.  She fell limply forward, sliding down Hunter to the floor, blood gathering at the back of her head.  Randy stood behind her, lead pipe in hand.  Hunter grabbed her, slinging her motionless body over his shoulder.  

            "Hurry up," Rick said as they jogged to their car.  

            "DOMINIQUE!" As Randy slammed the door, the Hurricane came running out, just to see her head in Randy's lap, the blood spilling onto him, and the crude smile on Evolution's faces.  Rick waved arrogantly as they sped away.

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

**Author's Note:  **_Today sucked, but I figured I write something, seeing as it was the weekend and all…  It's FINALLY the 25th chapter!  Jeez…  Took longer than I thought it would!  Anyway, hope you like!  Please review!!_


	26. Chapter XXVI : Encounters

_Dangerous Business_

_Chapter XXVI_

Vince McMahon found himself cowering before the woman in front of him.  Which should be wrong, because McMahon's never _cower_, much less before a _woman.  _But yet the chairman of the WWE stood their, cowering before her. 

            Her jade eyes were on fire, clashing against her bloodshot eyes and dark bags underneath them.  At the same time, her eyes were strained and her hands shook, clearly displaying that she was awake on caffeine.  The muscle in her jaw clenched as she stepped forward.  

            Vince cowered because at any given moment, it looked like she would snap, and throw her withheld fury for Evolution at anyone who said one wrong word.  "What do you want?" he snapped, straightening.  

            She stepped closer, and said through gritted teeth, "A match.  With Evolution."

            Vince let out a small snort of breath, and replied, "You against Evolution?" he paused, and stepped closer to her, glaring up with his beady eyes as he told her harshly, "If you haven't realized it, they're our top superstars.  You're just there as eye candy."

            She cocked her head, and he glared, not backing down.  In one swift movement, she grabbed his suit, balled the fabric between her fists, and shoved Vince against the mirror behind him.  A brief glimpse of fear shot through his steady gaze.  "Give me the match, McMahon, or you won't like the consequences."

            "You would love to get your hands on Evolution, for what they did to your sister, eh?  Tell me, how is your sister doing?"

            "What is it to you?" she asked, her fists pressing against his chest harder.  

            He winced, but said, "Just tell me."

            "She's in a coma," her fingers gripped the fabric harder, and her eyes seemed to flare up with anger once again.  He smiled, and let out a small laugh.  She jerked him off of the mirror, and back into it.  The back of his head collided with the glass, and cracked.  Shards of glass bit into the back of his skull and some flicked down to his neck.  Blood started to seep out of the back of his head.  She tossed her light brown hair back, staring at him intensely.  "Do I have the match or not?"

            He paused, and then smiled slowly.  "Yeah, you've got the match."  She passed one more sneer at him, and then shoved him away from her.  As he stumbled, she walked toward the door.  "It'll be a handicapped match."  Her hand froze on the handle, and she turned.  "You versus Randy Orton, Triple H and Rick Flair."  He expected her to be frozen with terror, her jaw to drop open.  But instead, a slow, sadistic smile spread across her face and a hollow laugh escaped her lips.  She turned, opening the door.  As the door slammed shut, Vince took a deep breath, and touched the back of his head tenderly.  She was up on him, and he didn't like it.  He needed a stipulation…  

            Sitting down on the leather couch, he closed his eyes and began to think.

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

            "I…I just keep seeing her like…that…  In front of my door…  With…that…that note…" no one moved as the Hurricane spoke between sighing sobs.  Lita squeezed his hand gently as she looked around the locker room.  Jeff sat on a chair, arms folded on the back of the chair, chin on his arms.  The Hurricane was sitting on the couch next to Lita, head in his hands, still sobbing though he had no more tears left.  Matt was sitting next to Lita, arm rested across her shoulders, feet up on the coffee table.

            Almost everyone in the room's eyes were bloodshot and had bags under their eyes.  Except for one person…Matt Hardy. 

            He stood up abruptly, and walked out of the room, knowing that the others would mistake it for the need to get away from the sadness.  A small smirk traveled up onto his face as he walked away from the room.  _Finally _things were going his way.  One less person to be suspicious of his relationship with Lita.  Now, if only Evolution would put Liz in a coma…  

            "Watch where you're going," he snapped as he ran into a solid shoulder.  His grin turned wider as he saw who it was.  "Liz?  Well, well, well."

            "I don't have time for you, Matt.  Get the fuck out of my way," was the hissed reply.  He stepped in front of her as she tried to push past him.

            "Where are you going, _cousin?" he asked sweetly._

            "I'm meeting Brock and then I'm going to valet for him, and I'm late, so I suggest you _get the hell out of my way!"  _

            "Brock?" he asked puzzled, "Wasn't it Rob?"  When she just glared at her, he smiled lazily and said, "Sorry, it's so hard to keep track of who it is…It's so hard keeping track of a someone like you…  I mean your boyfriends." At her bored look, he added.  "So hard keeping track of a whore's boyfriends."

            "Matthew Moore Hardy, I don't have time for this shit!" she exclaimed.  "I'm so fucking sick of you!  You sit around, playing Mr. Nice Guy to Lita so that she doesn't see your little act, and then you turn around and fight with all of her closest friends.  You play her and try and push her friends away from her," she stepped closer, "If you hurt her, I'll kill you."

            "I'd like to see you try to make good on that threat," he scoffed.

            Liz stepped even closer to him, her fists balling up.  "Believe me, Matt, I'd love to do right now, but I have a match to valet for, so if you can move your ass out of my way-"

            He let out an angry sound as the door knob to the locker room that he'd just been in opened.  "I'm done with you, Elizabeth!  All you do is try and throw your weight around, even on your own sister!  This is all an act to you, you don't care about anything!  All you care about," he hid the smile that he had on his face as Lita and Jeff exited the locker room, "Is power.  And the way you get it?" he laughed, the sound cutting from his throat.  "Isn't it obvious?  First you screw Rob, and now Brock.  Who's next?"

            She gritted her teeth, suppressing the urge to teach him a lesson, and shoved him down, walking past him.

            "BITCH!" his bloodcurdling cry rang out.  She ignored him, rounding the corner to go to the curtains.  

            Liz walked as she rounded the second corner, her heart pounding painfully in her chest.  This week-_this day_-could not get any worse.  She felt like she would explode at any moment from the emotions whirling inside of her.  Sadness over the fact that her sister was in a coma, fury that Evolution did that to her, and guilt…  Unbearable guilt, because the fact of the matter was, they took Dominique to get back at her.  And then there was Matt Hardy, a huge pain in her-

            "Liz!" she looked up to see that she was at the curtains already, and Brock was waving her over.  She nodded toward him, not bothering to try a fake smile.  As she approached, he pulled her in a gentle hug.  "You doing okay?" he asked.  She looked up quietly and shrugged half-heartedly.  

            "Hey Liz," this time it was Kurt Angle, standing next to them in his blue referee shirt.  "I'm sorry about your sister."  She nodded gratefully, biting down on her tongue to keep the tears from rising to her eyes.

            "Wait.…" Brock said suddenly as they moved to go out.  His eyes were riveted on the monitor.  

            Liz looked over, and stopped as she heard her name.  "Tonight," Vince said, "This steel cage will be lowered twice.  You see, Liz Smith…approached me in my office today, and demanded a match.  So I gave it to her.  Tonight, it will be, _Evolution versus…" the crowd cheered, waiting for the three person team.  "…Liz Smith.  In a steel cage."_

            Brock Lesner turned to Liz in fury for Vince, only to see a heartless, cruel smile on her face.


	27. Chapter XXVII : In Her Heart

**Author's Note:  **_I've decided to shorten my chapters to around 1,500 words (they were originally around 2,000), but it's not like I'm going to stick to that.  When I want to end a chapter, I'll end it.  If its 3,000 words or 900, I don't really care.  1,500 is basically just a number I want to reach by the end of the chapter, and hopefully I'll get there or past.  Anyway, please review!_

_Ha!  I was just looking at my stories, and realized that while this story is twice as long as "Masked", "Masked" has twice the reviews!  I'm not complaining!!  I'm glad to be getting nice reviews!  (I previously wrote in the 'Sonic the Hedgehog' section, and I was 'flamed' constantly for my ending of "Twisted".  It's a nice change here in the Wrestling section.)_

_Okay, so I was zooming around on ff.net and I'm hit with all these ideas.  And, frankly, all the ideas are for after like the next 2 chapters!  _

_Wow…big author's note.  Anyway, please review! _

_            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *_

_Dangerous Business_

_            Chapter XVII_

Liz clenched her teeth as she looked away from Brock's stormy look.  "What do you think you were doing?" he snapped.  

            She flinched at the harsh tone in his voice, and whirled around, fury sparking in her bloodshot eyes.  "I was planning on getting a match so I could get my revenge," she said simply, and said coldly after a second of frustrated silence from Brock, "It's your turn to go out."  He shook his head, but headed for the ramp, muttering about the match underneath his breath.  As they headed down the ramp, the fans roars raising Brock's confidence, Liz closed her eyes briefly, trembling on the edge of bursting into a round of tears.  Chest bursting with pain, she bit down hard on her tongue, and hid her emotions, walking down to the apron.  Brock didn't hold the ropes for her; he was hardly aware of the fact that she was even there.  His mind was focused on his match.  

            Liz felt like her mind was slipping away as the cage lowered and the match started, one ref standing by her to open the cage.  Her nails dug deep into her hands, and even the screams of the fans couldn't drag her attention back.  She was standing here-watching an utterly _pointless match, while her sister lay at the hospital, in a coma…  Slowly sleeping her days away…  _

            "STOP IT!" Vince's cries rang across the arena.  Liz's eyes flickered open as she watched Kurt continue to hold the ankle lock.  Slightly amused, she hooked her fingers around the steel and passed a side glance at the referee by the door, who was struggling to hide his grin.  She didn't need to turn to the fans to see their approval; theirs was too clear-and loud-in her ears.  Turning her eyes back to the match, she froze, her grip on the steel falling away.  Her jaw dropped slightly.  

            _'What the hell?'_

She gaped as Brock delivered an F5 to Kurt.  And then she saw the look passed between Vince and Brock.  Her stomach dropped, and nausea overwhelmed her for a brief minute, as smiles slid across their faces.  

            And there was that pain that she was trying to avoid, ensnaring her heart from the inside.  She'd let Brock too close too soon…and now he was signing a deal with the devil.  Her pain burst into anger in frightening speed.  She grabbed the door to the cage, and ran in.

            Brock turned to her, stopping his kicks to the fallen Angle.  He just smiled that devious smile, picked up Angle, and threw him into the steel cage.  She rushed toward Brock, but Vince stopped her with a powerful blow to her forehead.  Groaning, she tried to sweep his feet out from under her, but he leapt away, and darted behind her, wrenching her arms back so she'd have no leverage.  He forced her to her knees, standing on her calves as he struggled to hold her.  Even though she had no leverage, she was sure as hell trying to get free, but Vince was strong, but barely strong enough.  She thrashed as Brock ripped off Angle's shirt, and continued his vicious assault.  

            Watching, she gritted her teeth, feeling her arms pull in their sockets as she pressed forward.  Why was Brock turning on Kurt?  Why was he going to Vince?  Fury and pain pressed at her heart, only feeding to her struggle.  Suddenly, she stopped as Brock headed over to her, Kurt panting, curled in a ball.  

            Vince let her go, and she rushed for Kurt.  Brock simply reached out, grabbed her around the waist, and tossed her back into the turnbuckle.  Vince walked over, handing him the WWE title as Kurt struggled to his feet.  

            Brock stepped away from Liz, and she didn't move, her anger turning to Brock.  He smiled, handing her the title, and her stomach churned viciously.  "Do it," he ordered, the words rolling off his lips, "For me."

            She looked at him, jade eyes widening, as she realized.  He _knew the emotions that he caused her.  He expected her to join him in his alliance.  He thought that she was in love with him._

            And in that moment, she learned that she never loved him.  _Never.  Deep in her heart, as much as she hated to admit, she was still in love with Rob Van Dam.  Once or twice, she wondered if what she felt for Brock was simply lust…but now she knew she was right.  _

            He grinned at her, and her face changed completely.  He had tried to weasel himself into her heart, and take her with him, away from everyone.  And then he would've broken her.

            Liz turned to him, fire sparking in her eyes once more as she turned to the man she had tried to convince herself she was in love with.  Sourly, she knew that she was, in a way, using him.  Using him as a distraction from Rob, when all she was doing was imagining Rob in her heart instead of Rob.

            "DO IT!" Brock's voice came louder, and a mimic of his twisted smile appeared on her face as she replied.

            "No," her voice sounded amused as she turned to him.  He took a step closer, and she launched at him, swinging the title.  Brock caught her wrists and the title fell to the ground.  Her heart pounded ferociously as his grip tightened on her hands.  With one swift movement, he brought her up onto his shoulders.  Her hand snaked around his head, her fingers gouging his eyes.  Quickly, he finished off the F5, furiously rubbing at his eyes. 

            Vince McMahon grinned, and eagerly pointed to Kurt, who was rushing at Brock.  Brock met him, title in hand, and nearly decapitated the Olympic Champion with the title.  Across the ring, Liz groaned, flipping an arm over her head.  Brock turned to her, lifting her up once more.  She didn't try and stop the punishment, but tightened her muscles, preparing for the inevitable impact.  

            Brock threw her at the steel with such velocity that her mostly limp body crashed against the steel and bounced over the ropes, hitting the mat.  Brock continued his rampage on Kurt, and taunted him, pushing the title into his face, roaring that the title was _his.  _

            Liz took a shuddering breath, stinging pain in her back and leg as she opened one eye, to see Vince and Brock, one foot on Kurt's throat, their hands raised in the air.  She slowly crawled toward Kurt as the two left the cage, walking confidently up the ramp.  In a perfect world, the coldness that she sent in her glare would've frozen Brock to his death.  

            "Kurt?" she asked, lightly tapping his cheek.  Kurt moaned in reply, and she looked back to Brock, who was laughing.  Scowling, she lifted her hand, and flicked her middle finger up.  She ignored Vince as he leapt in front of Brock, who tried to return to the ring.  Instead, she pulled Kurt from the ring, looping his arm around her shoulder and walking up the ramp after the two had left.  The process was hard, and she was relying on her right side, as her left leg had slammed into the steel, giving her muscles a nasty snap.  

            "Liz!" Jeff's voice rang through the hallways as she hit backstage.  

            "Can you give me a hand with him?" Liz panted, pain twisting up her left leg and her back.  

            Jeff slid next to Kurt's side, grabbing his arm around his own shoulders.  "You okay?" he asked.

            Liz scowled, "If I didn't have a match tonight I'd go and kick his arrogant ass."  Jeff didn't speak until they were at the trainers.  He watched; an odd look on his face as one of the doctors gave Liz the all-clear.

            "I don't want you to go to that match," he said simply.  She jerked her head up at his quiet voice, and her insides melted at the sad, lost look on his face.  "Please," he added.

            Liz looked down, biting her tongue again.  She desperately wanted revenge…but what about Jeff?  "I-I'm sorry Jeff," she whispered.  "I have to."

            Jeff stood up, walking over to her, running one hand up her arm as he said, flatly, his words laced with sadness, "I'm already losing one cousin," he murmured quietly, "I don't want to lose another."

            Her lips trembled for a second, and then she hugged him tightly.  As they broke apart, she stuttered, "Jeff, I have to do this…  It's," her voice faltered, "It's my fault that Evolution took her.  They wanted to hurt me, so they took her.  I need revenge on them…  If I don't, every time I look at them, I'll know that they won.  That I didn't give them any fight."  She looked up into Jeff's eyes and finished, "I'm sorry, Jeff."

            He blinked away the tears in his eyes as he hugged her again, and whispered, "Promise me you'll be okay, Liz.  Promise me."

            She let a tear skitter down her face.

            "I can't."

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

**Author's Note:  **_Hope you liked this chapter!  Yes, it's a bit of the 8-7 SD, but with a few changes.  Okay, a ton of changes.  We're at 27!!  Only 3 more chapters until 30!!  And when I post this thing, I think we're at 50,000 words!  If it is, that's about 1,852 words per chapter!  Not bad!!  _

_On a side note, I was wondering what chapters, and which kind of chapter (like happy, fighting, sad, etc.) that you guys like!  _

_Well, it's a 3 day weekend, so hopefully the next chapter will be up by Tuesday, but I'm not making any promises.  Please review!_

_            ~LittleKnux2008~  _  __


	28. Chapter XXVIII : Desperate Measures

**(A/N:  Starting from Chapter XXVI, it was RAW.  Sorry I didn't put that in.)**

**Dangerous Business**

**            Chapter XXVIII**

Liz looked at herself in the mirror that was lying against a black storage box, studying her reflection.  Red, puffy eyes blinked back at her.  She scowled at herself, tugging at her simple outfit as she headed for the ring.  So maybe the fans might be disappointed-but she frankly couldn't care less at this moment.  Her hands shook with violent fury building in her, the image of Dominique being rushed into the hospital burning into her mind.  Her jade eyes narrowed as she headed out to the ring.  The fans screamed as she walked to the ring, but she didn't acknowledge them.  Her eyes were on the steel cage, suspended above the ring.  Her expression didn't give anything away as she stood into the middle of the ring.  

            "Does she knew what she's getting into?" cried the King.

            "This could be the last time that we see her in this ring, King," J.R. stated gravelly.  He was shocked when the King didn't respond with a comment about 'puppies'.  The fans started booing Evolution before they even stepped foot onto the ramp.  

            Liz leaned against the ropes as the cage lowered, and Evolution slid into the ring.  She closed her eyes halfway-still keeping a wary eye on Evolution.  A slight shiver went up her spine as the steel cage slowly hit the ground.  Silently, she gazed upward, at the open top.  Stepping forward, she let Evolution encircle her.  The bell rang.  Liz closed her eyes tightly, feeling their movements through the springy mat and their steady breathing.  Randy tried to spear her from behind, but she turned with a low roundhouse kick, her foot slamming across his neck, the bottoms tearing the skin.  A spilt second later, both Rick and Hunter leapt for her.  She dropped to the floor, yanking Hunter's kneepad away.  As she leapt for the ropes, she brought her foot against his unprotected knee.  Once behind him, she dropkicked the back of his knee.  Rick grabbed her hair, and in return, she gave him a low blow.  

            Finally, she released all of her pent-up anger in a storm.  Rolling backward, she leapt to her feet.  Randy threw a punch, which she ducked.  She brought her fist up into the bottom of his chin.  As he stumbled back, she grabbed his head and brought it down in a chin-breaker.  He snapped to the mat, and she whirled to face both Hunter and Rick.  She dove for the ground, hooking her arm around Hunter's right knee and bringing it down into the canvas.  Rick was on her as soon as she landed, his boots snapping against her sides.  He pulled her up, shoved her into the ropes, and bent down.  Hunter struggled upward, and stood behind him.  She leapt onto Rick's back as she approached, using him as a springboard.  Liz pulled a swinging DDT on Hunter.        

            "That's a nice swinging DDT…  But, King, how long can she hold her own against 3 great wrestlers?" J.R. asked, but received no answer.

            Randy and Rick collectively pulled Liz up.  Randy lifted her up and delivered a backbreaker.  She flipped onto her stomach as she hit the ground.  This time, Hunter lifted her onto his shoulders, and sent her flying into the steel.  She felt déjà vu as her injured side slammed into the unforgiving steel.  

            Liz swore softly as the three headed toward her.  Clasping the ropes, she slid between the 1st and 2nd, swinging her feet out and catching Hunter and Rick.  Randy grabbed her foot and dragged her out.  She launched upward suddenly, thrusting the heel of her palm into his nose, almost grinning when she heard a crack.  He stumbled back, clutching at his nose.  

            Hunter punched her in the back of the head, and she hit the mat, coming up at him quickly.  As she rushed at him, he lifted her up in a vertical suplex.  Before she even got to her feet, he picked her up and tossed her into the steel again.  Rick dragged her away from the ropes and hooked on the figure four so the most pressure was applied on her injured leg.  She lifted her head, feeling the pain rack her body.  Rick Flair grinned at her evilly.  

            Liz smiled back at him.

*                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

            Rob Van Dam watched the match intently, scowling as Liz's body crashed against the steel for the second time that night.  His eyes reflected the images on the screen, and the man next to him smiled.  "Still _pining_ after her, huh?" he asked, and chuckled slightly.  Rob didn't reply, but his fists balled up, and he hardly resisted the urge to punch the man.

            "When will this game of yours be done?" he asked quietly, blinking slowly.  "Haven't you caused her enough pain?" his voice was weary and tired.  And he was tired-tired of bending to this man's will, tired of acting indifferent toward _her…_

            He laughed again.  "This started with you, Van Dam.  I want you to remember this.  The reason you two broke up was because of you.  But then…  Let's just say that I'm getting on Vince's good side."

            "He hates her.  You're hurting her, so Vince will give you what you want," he said flatly.

            He grinned, "You've finally got it."  The man leaned closer, and Rob turned to him.  "And until this is done, you're going to do whatever I want whenever I want."

            "And if I don't?" RVD challenged.

            He smirked, and replied, "Then your precious Elizabeth is going to have an unfortunate accident…causing her death."  Rob stiffened as he looked toward the man, hatred flaring in his face.  The man just smiled at him proudly as he continued.  "Next week…If she survives this match," he added as an afterthought, "It will be you two against Steven Richards and Victoria.  Just like old times, huh?" at Rob's acid look, he grinned further, "You'll let Steven get you down with a Steven Kick, and you'll just be able to make the tag.  Steven and Victoria will decimate her.  And when she reaches for the tag-if she can-you're going to leave her there," his eyes twinkled at the fury on Rob's face.  "You're going to watch as Steven and Victoria slowly destroy her.  You're going to smile, and laugh as they do.  And then, at the end of the match, you're going to go back down to the ring.  You will take out a sledgehammer, and hit her twice in the ribs…as hard as you can."

            Rob glared at him, his fists shaking.  "I'm not going to do it, you sick son of a-"

            He shook his finger, and pointed it to the screen, "Two sledgehammer hits…or dead?" he questioned, and grinned at Rob.

            "When this is done, I swear to God that I'm going to kill you, Heyman," Rob spat.  

            Paul challenged him with his eyes.  "Who said that this is going to end?"  After the brief silence, he stood.  "It's unfortunate that I'm one less…client…short, but everything will go to plan," he said confidently.  "Or else," he added.  RVD didn't acknowledge him as he watched the match.  The door slammed shut behind him, and Rob let out a breath of air.

            He stood up abruptly, slamming his fists against the wall in anger.  Rob swore at the pain cursing through his hands, but his thoughts revolved around what Heyman had just told him, no, _ordered_ him to do.  Heyman was raising the stakes…  Groaning, Rob wished that _he was the one that was in the coma, and not Dominique.  Blinking, he looked up, the possibility of ending his useless battle hovering in his mind.  But it did just that-hovering just beyond his reach.  Licking his lips quietly, he laid down on one of the benches as he thought.  What would Liz say if she knew?_

            '**She'd tell me to go against him.  That she could handle herself,' he thought to himself wryly.  The thought had occurred to him a lot, but could she couldn't hold her own against a monster like the Big Show.  Vaguely, he wondered what she would do if she was in his shoes.  '****She wouldn't be,' he told himself in loathing self-hatred, '****Because she would never stand for all of Paul's shit.'  He looked up at the screen, watching as Evolution closed in around her.  It would only be a matter of time until a sledgehammer came into play.  Did he have the strength to use one against her?  Swallowing, he wrapped his arms around himself for warmth.  Deep down, he knew that Heyman would eventually grow bored with this-this _game.  _Eventually, he would stop the threats.  But by then the damage would be done-and he still might try and hurt her.  So what would be the difference if he ended it now?  Rob pressed his palms into his head.  He couldn't stand watching her being plummeted by the Big Show.  He had to keep him away until Liz became a stronger wrestler.  _He had to keep away from her.  And that was what killed him the most.  _**

            His love for her made his life worth living…but it was slowly destroying him. 

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *          

**Author's Note:  **_Today I just uploaded like the 27th chapter!  So I'm ahead of myself!  Anyway, I'm only allowed on the computer until __midnight_ and it's like __1 o'clock___ so I'm probably going to get in trouble.  Oh well.  I was just looking up something on the computer, and so far the longest story (in wrestling) is 439,073 words.  Personally, after the first 200,000, I'd start a sequel.  __J_

_Anyway, that was pointless, but that's okay!  Apparently, by some things I've been looking at, when I hit 100 chapters, we'll have like 200,000 words.  Ha!  It took me 6 months to get the first like 28 chapters on.  So yeah, a year and a half from now, we *might* be close to 100 chapters, if I even make it that long!_

_Okay, I'm putting an end to my pointless rambling.  Please review!!_

_~LittleKnux2008~_


	29. Chapter XXVIV : Nemesis

**Author's Note:  **_Okay, the fighting scenes *might* get a little bloody and stuff.  I don't know at the moment, but I'm warning you just in case it does._

_                        -                       -                       -                       -                       -                       _

**Dangerous Business**

**            Chapter XVIV**

_Tubes in and out of my body.  An upside-down bag hung next to my bed.  My vision is dim.  Everything is streamlined.  I think I'm in a coma.  Everything is at a great distance.  I see my sister, Liz.  Behind her is a shadow with amber eyes blinking from it.  My mother is standing off to one side, smiling up at another, swirling shadow, its-arms-wrapping around her, bottomless eyes glaring at me with triumph, one hand reaching out.  _

_            Useless names float around my head.  Shane, Randy, Heyman…  Who are they?  Why do their names float around and around in my head like a mantra?  _

_            I can't move.  I can only see underneath my drooping eyelids.  I become tired easily.  I make an effort to speak.  I feel like I am shouting but non one hears me because my lips refuse to move.  Nurses come and go.  The faraway sounds of laughter echo through my head.  Is it real, or in my head?  Television.  An old comedy on television._

_            I swallow on regular intervals, and my eyes blink every so often.  But it is not enough.  My body remains still as I try to move.  The nurses pass me sympathetic looks.  Do they know that I can see them?  They are treating me like a favorite house plant._

_            But I'm not.  I'm Dominique Smith, and I want to wake up._

_            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *_

            Lee Smith looked down at her daughter, tears filling her eyes once more.  She gently touched Dominique's cheek as her eyelids fell once more.  A sputtered, quiet sob escaped her lips as she intertwined her fingers.  She gripped the blonde's cold hand in hers.  

            A lump caught in her throat as she used her free hand to brush away the strands of blond hair in her daughter's face.  Finally, she curled her legs up to her chest, gripping her hand with two hands.

            Lee pressed her forehead to her knees, sobbing quietly.  She grabbed for the remote, unable to take the laughter any longer.  Tears slipping down her face, she turned it off, and shivered at the silence.  Looking down at Dominique, her eyes filled with more tears.  She had fully supported Dominique with her decision, believing that her cousins and friends would protect her, but now…

            She leapt out of the hard hospital chair at the gentle knock on the door.  Lee stood, giving Dominique a kiss on the forehead before heading for the wood door.  She studied the man before him.  He was fairly overweight, wearing a gray suit and tie, and had his hair slicked back into a ponytail.  

            "Hi, Mrs. Smith, I presume?" he asked.  She nodded silently.  He looked up, and she noticed his red eyes.  "I'm was-am a friend of Dominique's…  I was wondering…could I-uh-talk to her?"

            Lee gave a small, pointless smile, "I'm going to go head down the hall to get something to eat," she told him, "I'm sure she'll be glad to see you."  With that, she brushed by the man, feeling like she was going to collapse at any minute.

            The man smirked as he walked into the room as he watched her unmoving form.  He took a seat on the same chair Lee had sat in, and scooted close to Dominique.  "Long time, no see," he said, tossing his black hair back.  He chuckled, watching her face as he continued.  "You see our little game that we're playing-it's about to go up a level," he paused to pass a sick grin, "Dominique, the way I see it is that you have 3 choices.  1, you can wake up, and help me destroy your sister.  2, you can stay where you are, and keep hurting your family and friends.  Or," he paused dramatically, his fingers gripping on one of the tubes leading into her body, "You can do us all a favor, and die.  I wonder…what would happen…if I tugged on this just a bit more?"  He slowly pulled on the tube.

            "Hello," one of the nurses greeted as she slipped into the room.  Swearing softly, Paul let his arm drop, and stood up, eyeing the nurse as she took Dominique's vitals.  As he left, he ran into Lee.  

            "Oh, hello," Lee said quietly.  For a second, she paused, and then asked, "You're a friend from work, right?"

            Paul almost smiled, but smothered it, an idea coming into his head.  "I only have the list of cities for this month, but if you give me your address, I can mail it to you."  As Lee gave him the address, he almost chuckled.  Women were so trustworthy during a 'tragedy'.  This address was the key to getting what he wanted.  If Rob and Dominique (if she ever woke up) started getting out of control, this was the key to ensuring his power.  

            He grinned evilly.

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

            Liz closed her eyes tightly against the pain, and pushed her hands into her pockets of her sweatpants.  Her withheld fury for Evolution, released now, racked her body as she pulled something out, concealed in her fist.  

            She gripped her fingers around the nail, so that the tip and just a tad more stuck out.  Lashing out, she slammed her fist into Rick's leg, the end of the nail piercing his skin.  Rick let out a yowl, pulling his leg away, lengthening the cut.  Liz leapt up onto her right foot and kicked the nail out of the cage.  

            Hunter rushed at her, but she ducked, spinning behind him, reaching behind her and underneath her pants and top to pull out two Singapore canes.  Once he turned, she lashed one in his nose.  The cane broke into pieces at the sheer force.  Dropping the broken cane, she turned to Randy, who seemed to be getting his nose bleed under control.  With satisfaction, she knew that she probably broke his nose.

            Rushing toward him, she crouched, cane in both of her hands.  When she was near him, she leapt upward, the length of the cane smashing against his busted nose.  Once the impact was made, she continued her momentum, throwing it into a back flip that she barely landed.  Randy let out a yowl of pain, and backed away, falling against the turnbuckle.  

            As she turned, both Rick and Hunter were up.  She threw the cane at Rick's legs as he stepped.  The cane between his legs, he stumbled forward, and she leapt at Hunter with right hooks.  He grabbed her fist, twisting her arm backward.  Hunter was able to grab her other arm, and pulled her to him as Rick advanced, picking up the cane.  

            She kicked upward, her left boot hitting against his fingers, and he almost dropped the cane.  Rick backed away, and then rushed toward her, out of her kicking range.  He brought the cane back in a baseball-bat swing.  It slammed into her ribs with force, knocking the wind out of her and bruising her ribs.  Liz concentrated on Rick as he returned to her range of vision, ignoring Hunter's mocking.  As Rick went for another hard shot to the ribs, she jumped off of the mat, using his strength to her advantage as she tried to leap to the other side of Hunter.  Hunter didn't let go, and her arms twisted painfully as she was suspended in the air, vertical to her.  Rick didn't have time to stop.  Hunter flew back into the ropes, his grip releasing, sending Liz flying into the steel.  Flair grabbed her before she had a chance to recover, sending her for a back breaker, and then a Full Nelson.  By the time her body crashed against the mat once more, HHH was up, checking on Randy, ordering him to do something.  Randy nodded, exiting the cage by the door.  Now, if HHH and Rick left, they would win the match.  But this match, it wasn't about winning.  It was about _destroying the opponent.  He grabbed a collection of things from underneath the ring, and walked toward the door._

            "I'm sorry, but you can't go back in-" the man by the door started to say, but Randy used one arm to shove him aside, and slid into the ring.  Hunter smiled, grabbing the stop sign just as Liz stood.  He threw the sign like a Frisbee, nearly decapitating Liz.  At the last moment, the brunette leaned back, but the edges of the stop sign caught her throat, leaving a long, shallow, burning gash across her throat.  Grabbing at it, she felt blood trickle onto her hands.  Rick Flair smiled at her, holding up a lead pipe…

            …a bent lead pipe with dried blood down it.

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

**Author's Note:  **_Please review!!!!_


	30. Chapter XXX : Last Stand

**(A/N:  I am aware that in Chapter 28, Paul was at the RAW arena, and at 29 he was at the hospital.  We're going to say that the hospital was close by, or that was later in the night.  Whatever.)**

**            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      ***

**Dangerous Business**

**            Chapter XXX**

Rick Flair grinned at the look on the brunette's face as he held up the lead pipe.  Her jade eyes widened, and burned with fury.  She launched toward him, spearing him to the mat.  The lead pipe rolled away as she pounded his head against the mat.  It took both Hunter and Randy to pull her off.  Wildly, she swung her fists.  Her left fist caught against Randy's nose, sending him stumbling backward.  HHH nailed her with a knee to the ribs, and set up for the Pedigree.  At the last second, she stood, flipping HHH over, causing pain to both HHH and herself.  As she tried to keep her balance, Rick grabbed a trash can lid and, from his position kneeling on the ground, jumped at her, slamming the lid into her face.  

            As soon as she hit the ground, Rick grabbed the steel chair, placing it in the middle of the ring, pulling Liz up, and delivering a DDT onto the chair.  Groaning, Liz rolled over, pressing her palms to her eyes.  Hunter pulled her up, his eyes darkening with anger.  She reached up, poking him in the eyes in an attempt to buy her time.  Rick slammed into her from behind, snapping her body into the steel chair.  Liz yelped as her injured ribs hit the chair.  She didn't have a chance to recover as Hunter pulled her up quickly, setting up for the Pedigree once more.  Weakly, she tried to fight out of it, but the hits she'd taken were taking their toll.  Once again, her head smacked against the steel chair, but this time because of a Pedigree.

            "Rick!  Randy!" HHH ordered sharply, "Hold her back!" he picked up a sledgehammer from the ground as Rick and Randy grabbed one of Liz's arms and forced her to her knees.  HHH brought the sledgehammer back, aiming for her ribs.

            At the last minute, Liz jerked her head up, pulling her arms inward.  Randy and Rick, not expecting the show of strength, stumbled forward, and were hit by the shot.  As they fell, Liz pushed forward, nailing Hunter's knees with her feet.  As he fell, she sprang for the turnbuckle, climbing the cage.  Her feet slipped every so often as she scaled, but she made it to the top just as Hunter started climbing.  For a second, she glanced down.  She could end this match, and win.  

            Liz stood at the corner of the top, and spread her arms out, her balance shaking as Hunter climbed to her.  Letting out a small breath, she pushed from the top, using her momentum to pull two back flips as she rushed toward the ground.  Randy saw her coming, his eyes widened; he grabbed the discarded sledgehammer as she neared.  He brought the sledgehammer in a vertical swing just as Liz came toward him.  Her speed made his blow to her ribs worse.  Still in midair, she was flown backward, and Rick leapt up, grabbing her head to pull her down in a bull-dog.

            Liz sputtered as blood clogged her throat.  Rolling to her stomach, she coughed, closing her eyes tightly.  The crowd's chants of 'holy shit!' drowned in her ears.  Black obscured her vision, and she spat the blood out of her throat.  Randy gently touched his nose as he looked at the canvas.  The follow-through of his swing had left a dip in it.

            J.R. and the King were momentarily speechless, until Stone Cold Steve Austin sprinted down the ramp.  "What is Austin doing here?" J.R. wondered aloud.  The fans in favor of Liz scowled, thinking that he was here to harm her.

            "He's _climbing the cage!" The King added.  _

            "Why is he out there?" J.R. asked once more as Austin reached the top.  Evolution grinned, oblivious to the fact that Austin was there.  Triple H grabbed a chair, slamming it into Liz repeatedly as Austin leapt down, body splashing Rick.

Randy stumbled backward as he faced Austin.  Steve grinned at him for a second, and then raised his hand, and held up his middle finger.  Fear mixing on his face, Randy stepped backward.  Austin kicked him in the stomach, and delivered the Stone Cold Stunner.  

            "My God, King, I think he came down here to even the odds!" J.R. guessed, astounded.  HHH left Liz, and made a beeline to Stone Cold, who dropped him.  As soon as all of them were down, at least for a little bit, he grabbed Randy, tossed him out of the open steel cage door, and followed.  

            Liz groaned, slowly standing up, leaning against the ropes.  Laboriously, she began to climb the cage once more.  Carefully, she found her footing at a steady pace.  Hunter struggled up, tailing her on her climb to the top.  The brunette let out a small cry as her grip gave out, and slid a foot down until she regained her grip.  HHH reached out, grabbing her right ankle.  Taking a breath, Liz removed her other foot from the steel, relying on her hands to keep her suspended, and kicked him in the face.  She pulled herself up, but HHH was still close behind and climbing faster.  Rick joined the group scaling the wall.  

            Finally, she reached the top.  Letting out a sigh of relief, she looked ahead, where Hunter was climbing up-near the corner.  She was exhausted by the climb, and HHH wasn't quite so.  He grabbed her by the hair, but she shoved him backward, falling to the flat top of the steel as soon as she did so.  Rick reached the top, and with a few muttered words to HHH, set her up for a power bomb.  She twisted as he tried, sending him off balance.  Gritting her teeth, she kicked Rick's legs.  Rick stumbled, and fell to the outside of the cage, his head hitting against the steel as he fell.  

            Hunter smirked at her from his spot, watching as she coughed up blood.  Slowly, he moved toward her, gauging the height to the floor.  He decided to drop her to the ring and crawl down for the win.

            Liz panted, grasping at her ribs, blood cutting off her air every so often.  Through blurred vision she saw Hunter coming toward her.  With certainty, she knew that if he reached her, Evolution would win.  Quietly, she brought Dominique to mind, trying desperately to find the anger that had made her almost invincible for the beginning of the match.  She recalled her fourteen months out of the ring.  Anger welled in her stomach, and she spat blood out of her mouth.  Gathering her strength, she knelt upward, crouching awkwardly, using her anger to block the pain racking her body.  Abruptly, she launched from the ground, spearing Hunter.

            And then she realized her mistake.  Hunter had been by the corner, and she had just speared both of them off the top of the cage.  Their bodies untangled from each other, and spun as they fell.  For a terrifying moment, Liz's gaze was facing down, facing the steel ramp they would land on, the speed stopping all breath.  She didn't notice her own screams as they came closer, and closer.

            They hit the ground, their bodies bouncing off of the ramp sickeningly, like broken toys thrown to the ground.  The pain burst ferociously into their bodies, tearing at them.  

            And then, mercifully, the blackness overtook them.  The last thing they remembered was the fans screaming, on their feet, 'holy shit!' ringing through the arena for the last time that night.

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *          

**Author's Note:  **_Okay, here's how this is going to go.  I'm going to try and work on my chapters daily, but I've got tests and a lot of things coming up that need my attention.  Anyway, I'm going to try and update 2 chapters on the weekend (or one, but I'll try to update then.)  Yeah, I posted about 4 chapters this weekend, but whatever.  Don't expect many updates during the week.  Please review!_

_            ~LittleKnux2008~_

_P.S ~ It's far away, but I wanted to tell you guys – I'm going to try and update multiple stories on the 10th of November for my '1-year anniversary'!  Yeah, it sounds corny, but it's a reason to update!!!  LOL.  Anyway, please review!!!!  _

_P.S.S ~ Check out the new chappy titles!!  =D_


	31. Chapter XXXI : Believing

**Dangerous Business**

**Chapter XXX**

**Smackdown!**

Rob Van Dam sighed wearily as he walked down the hallways.  Stagehands scurried past him, some clumped in groups by the walls.  Wrestlers mingled in the halls as they made their ways to locker rooms, cafeterias, and what not.  Rob pressed a fist to his forehead as he walked, pushing past the throngs of people.  He remembered the last clip of RAW too clearly.  His stomach twisted as his mind replayed it over and over…  RVD saw it-the way her palm slapped the ramp first, her body flying over it, likely breaking her wrist.  He saw the way her back hit the ramp with untamed force, the way her body bounced from the impact, and rolled back to have her land on her neck, her legs crashing against the ramp uselessly. He needed to know how she was…

            "Tommy!" Rob cried out, spotting the wrestler.  Tommy turned, slowly acknowledging Rob's presence as he came closer.  

            "Hey," he greeted, reaching for the bottle of water he'd set on a storage case nearby.  

            "Listen, Tommy," Rob commanded, the words spilling out of his mouth quickly, "I need to know how Liz is," he explained earnestly, and felt his heart twist at the expression on Tommy's face.

            "I thought you two were over," Dreamer replied.

            "We are," Rob said quietly, "Please, just tell me."

            Tommy said hesitantly, "I'm not really great friends with her…"

            "Just tell me how she is," pleaded Rob.

            "Last I heard she had a shattered hand, broken wrist, about 3 broken ribs, and a hell of a lot of bruised ribs.  Jeff said that she was headed in for X-Rays on her neck and back."  

            Rob closed his eyes slightly, and said, "What do you mean, shattered hand?"

            Tommy shifted, and replied, "Well," he pointed to outside of his hand, pointing to the bones that led to his fingers.  "3 of these are shattered."

            "Shattered?" Rob echoed.

            "Parts of them," Tommy corrected.  "They had to go into surgery, because of one piece slipped, and hit a vein or something…"

            "What happened?"

            "As far as they can tell, the surgery went fine.  Her hand is in a cast for awhile-about like 3 days.  They repaired what they could of the bones, but her fingers would be weak, but when they take the cast off…" he paused, "She might not be able to move any of her fingers on her left hand."

            "Is she okay?"

            "Yeah, I guess," Tommy said evasively, "Haven't really gotten the chance to talk to her for long.  Jeff Hardy was cursing HHH to all sorts of hell while I was there, and I got the impression that it would be best to talk to her when he was calmed down.  She said she hurt like hell, but she'd be okay."

            Rob closed his eyes, and let out a small sigh of relief.  Things could've gone a lot worse-and they still could, seeing that the X-Rays hadn't come yet-but for now…  She was okay.  And that was all that mattered.

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

            Edge winced to himself as he walked into Liz's hospital room.  The bed was propped up, and the TV was on to Smackdown!.  Her left arm was in a cast up to her elbow, a neck brace was tightly wrapped around her neck, and a large bandage was wrapped around her head.  She gave him a small smile as he walked in.  "Seriously," she said, her voice raspy, "It looks worse than it is," a small grin appeared on her face, "You should see Triple H.  I think he broke his collarbone."  He shook his head, a slight smile prying at his face at the gleeful tone in her voice.  Liz watched him intently as he sat down in the chair next to her.  "You should be at the show," she told him.

            "Rey is covering for me," replied Edge.  

            After a silence, Liz said, "The X-Rays came back.  My back and neck are fine…  The doctors say that it's going to be really sore.  I have to wear this thing until Sunday."  She fell quiet as Edge nodded.  Her eyes focused on the TV screen, which was flipped to Smackdown.  "I have a match on RAW," she announced, pursing her lips tight together.  

            Edge was concerned, "Are you sure that you'll be before then?"

            Liz gave him a small smile, "Déjà vu," she whispered hoarsely.  

            "Then you were tossed into the steel steps.  This time you speared HHH and feel 20 feet to a steel ramp," he told her.

            "That really sounds horrible," she admitted.  

            He rolled his eyes.  "So who's your match against?"

            Her expression faltered for a moment, and she responded, "It's a tag team match."

            "Who's your partner, then?" Edge questioned. 

            "Rob," she answered calmly, her face tight.  

            Edge stopped, and almost groaned out loud.  "I can have it changed…"

            "No," she snapped sharply, cringing at her own tone of voice.  "It's fine…"

            "Liz, what's wrong?" Edge pressed.  

            Liz's eyes didn't waver from the television as she responded.  "I think I'm still in love with him."  Edge leaned back in his chair, his eyebrows lifting as he digested the information.  

            "Well…   That's…a predicament…" he mumbled cautiously.  She laughed hollowly.  

            "Yeah," she said sourly.  Sighing, her eyes fell to her hands, clasped in her lap.  "How's Dominique?" she asked softly.  

"She's okay…  The nurses say that she moves every so often, and her eyes are open a lot…  I guess that's a good thing."

            "The longer she spends in the coma the less chance she has of coming out of it," Liz said, repeating what the doctor had told her.  She closed her eyes, a single tear skittering down her face.  "It's my fault," she whispered.  "It's because of me that she's in that coma…"

            Edge put a hand on her arm, "It's not your fault.  It would've been you or someone else lying in that bed in a coma one way or another."  

            "It should be me," her voice was flat, leaving no room for arguing.  After a brief silence, she said, "Will you call Willow for me?  Have her fly up here?  Tell her that it's important."

            Edge shrugged, "Sure."  He stood up, heading out the door.  

            "I'm going to kill him," he turned at the controlled anger in her voice.  "He would deserve it," she carried on through chapped, cracked lips, her eyes glued to the television.  

            "No one deserves to die," he told her quietly.  

            "But everyone does."

            "They go to a better place."

            She glanced over at him and said, "I can't believe that, Edge," she told him quietly.

            "Why not?"

            Liz turned her jade eyes away from him.  "Because then I'll stop fighting for this."

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

**Author's Note:  **_Please review!!_

_DiscoInferno1:  On regard to your review on Chapter 27…  I messed up the sentence.  It's supposed to read: "She was using him as a distraction from Rob, but all she was really doing was imaging Rob in Brock's place."  _


	32. Chapter XXXII : Oblivion

**Dangerous Business**

**          Chapter XXXII**

**                   RAW is War**

Liz stared at the reflection in the mirror.  Her jade eyes were dull, rimmed with scarlet red, but the bags underneath them were almost gone.  A brace for her left arm was wrapped tightly against her skin, and she only passed a brief glance at it, acknowledging the specific weak point, knowing that Steven and Victoria would attack it.  The tube top ended in the middle of her ribs, and as she adjusted the fabric, her fingertips skimmed across the bandages around her ribs.  Bruises covered her body, and she didn't pause to give them a second thought.  Expression sullen, eyes downcast, she tugged on the lime green fabric of the pants, pulling them up slightly.  

            "Liz!  Can we have a word?"  Murmuring something quietly under her breath, she turned, pulling her hair up swiftly into a ponytail as Terri ran up to her.  Her eyes settled on Terri, a jutting glare to them, as if challenging the blond.  "How do you feel about your match tonight?"

            Liz rewarded her with a sarcastic smile, "Great.  Couldn't have been better." She almost rolled her eyes, but instead folded her arms across her chest, and cocked her head, waiting for Terri's next question.

            "Well, tonight, you're teaming up against your ex-boyfriend…  How do you feel about _that_?"  

            Liz blinked, and replied, "Honestly?  I'd rather have a handicapped match.  But I don't have one.  I'm stuck with it, and that's that."

            "You didn't answer my question…" Terri pointed out.

            "Why does it matter?" countered Liz.  "I'm going to go to this match, and he's my partner.  That's that…  It's a match, Terri.  I may not have someone to back me up tonight, but I'm going to win," she promised, and turned, walking away.  Terri's voice echoed down the hall as Liz rounded the corner.  Her boots snapping against the ground with a sharp click, she walked into the Diva's locker room.  Liz ignored the other Divas mingling around in the locker room.  She felt their looks bore into her back as she stalked over to a locker, flinging the door open.  All but Liz flinched at the crash of the door against another locker.  

            "What are you _doing here?" someone spoke up, and Liz whirled around, temper flaring.  A blonde stood there, glaring defiantly up at her.  The face was familiar-like she'd seen the woman around before-but she didn't remember the name.  _

            "What do you think I'm doing?" she snapped in reply, throwing her duffel bag into the open locker.  

            The blonde raised her chin in an effort to compensate for the height difference between them, "I thought you were rooming with Jeff and Matt?"

            "You thought wrong," was the cold reply as she slammed the locker shut, the Divas once again jumping at the loud noise.  

            "What crawled up _your ass and died?" the blonde said, rising on her toes so her face was almost eye level with Liz.  _

            "I don't have time for this," Liz muttered underneath her breath.  "Get out of my way, rookie," she spat venomously.

            The blonde glared.  "What are you going to do about it?" 

            "This," Liz snarled, shoving her hands quickly, palms crashing against the blonde's shoulders.  The woman stumbled backward, and toppled over the bench, landing on the tile on her neck.  "Oops," Liz announced sarcastically, going for the door.  

            "I'll get you back for this!" the blonde yelled, and Liz turned, eyeing her quietly.

            The brunette raised her arms out wide, and said arrogantly, "You know where to find me."

            "I'll beat your ass…" snarled the blonde, climbing to her hands and knees.

            Liz watched, amusement twinkling in her eyes.  "Go ahead and try.  You won't get far."  With that, she turned, walking out of the room, slamming the door shut loudly behind her.  

            Liz shook her head, tossing her hair as she walked through the halls, gritting her teeth as she walked along.  

            "Liz?" she didn't turn at her name, but simply kept walking and the stagehand ran up to her.  "Your match is up after the current one," he told her.  She shrugged and nodded, continuing on her way, changing her aimless walk toward the vague direction of the ramp entrance.  

            "Stay the fuck away from her!"  Liz's head jerked up quickly at the voice…Rob's voice.  Cautiously, she jogged to the corner where his voice was coming from.  There was a muffled response as she reached the corner, and looked down the hall.  She froze.

            Paul Heyman and Rob were glaring at each other, faces inches apart from each other's.  Paul sneered over his shoulder at Liz.  "Look's like your _partner is here," he said, with a meaningful glance at Rob.  He smirked, and slowly backed off.  His eyes traveled to Liz, and he called mockingly, "Good luck, Liz."  Paul grinned widely at Rob, and turned, walking away briskly._

            Liz stared at the corner Paul had rounded for a while, even after Rob turned.  Her gaze wavered after a second, and, without a word, she turned, and continued to the curtains, fisting her hands and shaking her head.  

            "Liz, wait!" the brunette stopped abruptly, his footsteps behind her echoing in her ears.

            "I don't care," she whispered to herself inaudibly, and closed her eyes lightly, enjoying the swift darkness.  For a moment she stood there, eyes closed, hands slowly falling limply to her sides.  Her eyelids snapped open as Rob stood in front of her.  His face was stricken.

            "Listen, I've got to tell you something," he said, his voice bordering on pleading as he looked up at her.  Her jade eyes seemed to look right past him as she tilted her head.

            "Rob," her voice was monotonous as she spoke, "Frankly, I'd be fine if you never were born," she spat, her voice turning to controlled anger.  The words registered on his face, and she waited before finishing, "I don't trust you for a tag.  As far as you're concerned, I don't have a partner," her eyes hardened, "and if you try anything, you better pray that I don't catch up with you."  With that, she turned, speed-walking away.  As soon as she was sure he wasn't following her, she let out a long breath, sitting down on a storage case.  Her hands shook, and she looked down at them, not making any effort to stop.  "I did it," she said aloud, feeling numbness spread through her body.  

            Liz looked up at the ceiling, leaning against the wall.  She'd told him it…  A shaky breath escaped her lips, and she wrapped her arms around herself.  _'I told him that I hated him,' she thought, the words bouncing around her head, __'Maybe now…  Maybe now I-we-can move on…'  She winced at the pain in her heart at the thoughts that followed, a bitter laugh spurting out of her lips.  __'And even if I can't-he sure as hell is going to hate me now.  But…that's what I wanted, right?  To have him hate me…  So it'd be so much easier to hate him back, to let this go…'  She reached a hand up to her eyes to rub at them, and drew it back when she felt the wetness on her face.  Blinking, she furiously wiped the tears off of her face.  __'He hates me now.'  _

She caught her reflection in a mirror across the hall, and stared at it.  She'd gotten what she wanted.  Shouldn't she be happy?

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

**Author's Note:  **_Cha-Ching!  It's the weekend!!  YES!  Anyway, hope you like!!  Sorry for like the lapse of writing halfway through this, I did half of it on Monday and the rest today.  Please review, and if you get the time, check out my other stories!!  Thank you!!_

_                        ~LK2008~_


	33. Chapter XXXIII : Beneath the Surface

**A/N:  **_Ugh….  Looking through my last chapter, I realized a few mistakes…  The only one I'm going to bother to say is wrong was 'tonight you're teaming up against your ex-boyfriend'.  It was supposed to be 'tonight you're teaming up with your ex-boyfriend'.  Whatever…_

_            *                       *                       *                       *                       *                       *_****

**Dangerous Business**

**          Chapter XXXIII**

**                   RAW is War**

            Rob Van Dam blinked, staring ahead of him where Liz had stood only moments ago.  His hands were limp at his sides as he stared, his eyes trained on the empty air as her words resounded through his head.  _'I'd be fine if you were never born.'  _He leaned against the wall, eyes wide.  It's just because you broke up with her, he told himself with empty reassurance.  

            "Hey, Rob!" his eyes closed tighter at the voice.  Hadn't the walrus had enough?  "What's the matter?" Rob's eyes flashed open at the sickening tone in Paul Heyman's voice.  

            "Nothing," he grunted in reply, shoving himself away from the wall, glaring at Paul.  "Why the hell are you here?"

            Paul pretended too look offended, pressing a hand to his suit.  As soon as his hand dropped, he just laughed, and replied, "I can walk wherever I please," he raised his hands in the air, bringing his thumbs toward him as he finished, "R-V-D."  Rob glared at him intensely, forcing his arms to stay at his sides.  "Now listen," Paul continued, seriously.  "You have a decision to make," he spoke slowly, rubbing in the words as he did so. "Either you do things my way, and leave Liz during the match, or you don't do as I say, and watch as the Big Show demolishes her."

            Rob looked up at him, anger flaring.  He wanted nothing more than to strike out against the fat, oily-haired man in front of him, but if he did…  Rob winced inwardly.  Really, what did it matter what he did anymore?  She had made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with him…  So why would he still care?  _Why did he still love her?  "Great choice," Rob said dryly, "I can either have Steven and Victoria beat on her, or the Big Show."_

            "I know which one I would prefer," Paul said brightly, and almost flinched at the dark look that emitted from RVD.  He won't hurt me, he told himself reassuringly, but took a step back, just in case…  Not many people had survived Rob's wrath-and he needed to keep this up to ensure his safety.

            "You wouldn't prefer anyone," Rob spat in a low voice, "You'd just want her gone."

            Paul took in a deep breath, and shrugged.  "Hey," he said, dark eyes glittering.  He was testing Rob's limits now.  "Wouldn't be a big loss."  His grin on his face widened as RVD almost reached out to punch him, but fell to his sides.  Looking at RVD in superiority, he said, "Make the right choice tonight, Rob.  Or you'll live to regret it."

            Pressing his palms to his forehead, Rob said, his voice muffled, "I'm already regretting my mistake in listening to you."

            *                       *                       *                       *                       *                       *

            Liz closed her eyes, hugging her knees to her chest.  Somewhere in the back of her mind it registered that she should be heading to the curtains, but she didn't move to get up and instead set her chin on her knees.  She had thought that maybe, just maybe, getting him to hate her would do the trick.  Clear up the lingering feelings for him.  But instead it'd done the exact opposite.  The look on his face as she'd said those words haunted her mind.  With a sudden surge of pent-up frustration, she shoved one foot over the side of the case, slamming her fist into the wall behind her, savoring the physical pain searing up her arm.  Physical pain she dealt with, but this?  She couldn't handle this.  

            Vaguely and uselessly, she wished for the old days, the days when she'd just started in the WWE.  When she'd gone out with her friends every night, when she'd been striving for the Women's Championship and acceptance with the fans…and when she'd been happy.  Happy.  In love.  Deliriously happy.  Moaning something beneath her breath, she leaned against the wall.  Back when she'd been with Rob.  Back when things had been so simple, when the biggest thing she had to worry about was whether or not she'd win the next match. 

            And that day when Rob had broken up with her that had started it all.  It tore her up inside, the very fact that he broke up with her, but it strengthened her ties to her friends, her family.  But it clouded the way she used to understand her own feelings.  That night she'd made the mistake of letting Brock kiss her.  The fact that she let it happen hurt her, dirty words forming in her mind about what people would call her if they knew.  

            By then she didn't even know what was happening.  She locked herself away from the others, sinking into a pool of unbearable pain.  And the thing she cursed herself for doing most of all was letting Brock help her out of it.  Why didn't she see through him?  He was a monster, and she let herself believe she loved him.  She forced herself to.  

"Liz?!" her head jerked up, and she stubbornly pushed the tears away from her face as she looked at the stagehand in front of her.  "Your match-Steven and Victoria are already headed out there…"  Liz stared at the stagehand for a second, and then stood up, heading for the curtains, not bothering to thank the man.  As she neared the curtains, she let out a small sigh, bouncing on her toes as her mind shut out everything but the match.  

            Her entrance music pounded through the speakers as she stepped past the curtains, not daring to look back where Rob would surely be.  Liz watched as Victoria and Steven Richards leapt through the ropes, making a beeline to her.  She steadied herself, and jumped forward at Victoria when she was close, slamming her thigh into Victoria's chin, sending the crazed Diva careening backward.  

            Liz barely dodged the Steven kick, his boot skimming past her face as she leaned back.  Steven turned quickly as Liz regained her balance, and speared her into the fence-like barrier.  She let in a sharp hiss of pain, her hand flipping to her back as she remained on all fours, never letting her eyes leave Steven.  As Rob's music blared through the arena, Steven lifted her onto her shoulders, waking toward the steel steps.  He tossed her onto them, her face and arms slapping forcefully into the steel.  Liz clutched her left arm, watching as RVD ran to Steven, crashing into him from behind.  Victoria stood up, making her way to help Steven out, but Liz ran forward and delivered a dropkick, her left arm again slapping against the floor.  RVD rolled Steven into the ring, and the women made their separate ways to the apron, and the ring bell finally sounded.  Across the ring, Victoria glared at Liz, who scowled right back at her.  

            "It was only a week ago that Liz speared Triple H off of a steel cage, King," J.R. said, keeping a careful eye on the monitor in front of him.  "Vince announced on Thursday that he had people reviewing the tapes of Raw to see just who won the match-but until then it remains a draw."  The crowd cheered as RVD remained in control of the match.  Rob concentrated on Steven.  His focus wavered every now and then, and he struggled to remain on top.  Suddenly, Steven bounced off the ropes, clotheslining Rob, and running for the tag to Victoria.  By the time Victoria made it through the ropes, Rob was on his feet.  Victoria paused, and pointed to Liz.  Rob shrugged, and tagged Liz in.  The brunette leapt through the ropes, ducking a clothesline from Victoria and securing her arms around Victoria's waist from the back, lifting the former Women's Champion with a German Suplex.  As soon as Victoria stood once more, she dropped her with a spinning heel kick.  

            Rob watched as Liz dominated Victoria with trained and focused skill.  He leaned on the ropes, cheers of the crowd drowning in his ears as the mat shook beneath his feet.  Suddenly, Victoria pulled off a Russian Leg Sweep, and jumped to get a tag from Steven.  RVD swore underneath his breath as Steven pulled off a spinebuster.  Steven grabbed Liz's bandaged left arm and pulled on it, putting one leg over her throat and the other next to the top of her head, pinning her down.  Rob closed his eyes tightly, gripping the ropes with his hands as he watched Liz cry out in pain. 

            He had to make his decision…  And the countdown was on.

            *                       *                       *                       *                       *                       *

**A/N:  **_I might not have another chapter up this coming weekend because I have to read an 800 page book (that's in size 8 font and gives me a headache to read) by the end of October.  Won't be that hard, but I probably won't get the time to type up another chapter.  Anyway, please review!_

_And by the way, don't think that I'm forgetting Evolution.  Nope.  They're alive (unfortunately).  More parts of Dominique will come soon…  And since I'm evil, I'm not throwing any hints on whether or not she's going to be okay! _

_Okay, I realized that the timing for my story is *completely* screwed up but that's okay!  Anyway, I'm probably going to have Wrestlemania coming up sometime soon.  _

_Anyway, please review!!  Thanks!!_

_            LittleKnux2008_


	34. Chapter XXXIV : Gamekeeper

_            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *_****

**Dangerous Business**

**          Chapter XXXIV**

**                   RAW is War**

Rob raked a hand through his hair, which had long since fallen from its ponytail as he watched Steven continue to destroy Liz, who was making feeble attempts to fight back, but between the two minutes that Steven and Victoria had isolated her, it looked like they'd re-injured her arm and ribs.  He licked his lips, watching helplessly as they double-teamed her.  Rob resisted the urge to cry out in frustration.  _'Big Show or me…  Big Show or me…' echoed throughout his head like a mantra.  He balled his fists against his forehead.  He couldn't make the decision on time…  Time…  That was what he really needed.  More time…   Even if he did leave her during the match…  He didn't think that he'd have the heart to actually hit her with a sledgehammer.  Rob didn't think he could even hurt her at all.  His head jerked up sharply as Liz countered "Widow's Peak".  She crawled toward Rob, her hand reaching out.  Rob stayed where he was, like a deer in headlights.  Time seemed to speed up, leaving him with no time.  He had two choices…  Tag or no tag…  _

            Victoria had made the tag, and Steven Richards leapt through the ropes.  RVD didn't miss the crazed look in his eyes.  He looked down at Liz.  _'One day Paul is going to make me chose her,' he knew, _'and he's going to keep hurting her until that day…'_  _

            Biting down on his lip, he reached forward, his fingers slapping against her palm.  "I'm sorry," he whispered as he ran by, and doubted that she even heard him.   Exactly when his foot crashed against Steven's chin, music poured through the speakers, and he froze where he landed.

            He looked up the ramp, where the Big Show and Paul Heyman sauntered down the ramp.  Rob looked at Liz, his expression sad and helpless.  She didn't have time to escape…  He looked up, lip-reading what Paul was screaming at him as he advanced to the ring.

            "Wrong decision."

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

            Liz tossed back her hair as she held an arm protectively over her abdomen, watching RVD leap through the ropes…  What was that look in Rob's eyes when she went for the tag?  It almost looked like he was going to back out…  Liz shook her head and leaned against the post of the turnbuckle.  Anything was possible right now, but honestly, she didn't believe he'd do something like that...  Then again, this was the man that was meeting with Paul Heyman.  The brunette pulled herself up, using the ropes, scolding herself silently for letting her thoughts stray.  

            '_It doesn't matter_,' she told herself, struggling to think solely about the match.  '_Concentrate!' she ordered uselessly.  The mat shook beneath her feet as Rob's foot collided with Steven._

            "What?" the whisper fell from her lips as music began to sound from the speakers.  Turning, her eyes widened.  Paul Heyman…the Big Show?!  What?  What did they have to do with the match?! 

            She unconsciously bent her knees and moved to the side of the turnbuckle that was farther away from the ramp.  Her eyes didn't leave either of the men until she heard the slap of boot against flesh.  She swiveled, only to see Rob hit the mat, down from a Steven Kick.  Biting her lip, she glanced between Steven and the two men walking down the ramp.  Quickly, she leapt to the turnbuckle, and pulled off a body splash to Steven.  Victoria, enraged, jumped through the bright red ropes, her arm flying out for a punch.  Liz grabbed Victoria's arm, and in one swift movement, brought it behind the Diva's back.  She shoved Victoria to the ropes, and clotheslined her over them.  As Victoria careened to the padded concrete, Liz looked to the Big Show and Paul Heyman, who were entering the ring.  

            Paul grabbed a microphone, watching with a smile on his face as the Big Show loomed over RVD.  Liz shifted, unsure of what to do.  Did she stand next to her partner, or did she run?  She froze, unmoving as Paul began to speak.

            "A while ago…  About five or six weeks, say," Paul began, watching as Rob tried to struggle to his feet while warily watching the Big Show.  "You," he pointed to RVD, "broke up with Liz."  His dark eyes skittered to Liz for a brief moment.  She lifted her chin and met his stare defiantly.  He turned to the fans, shoving the referee away.  "Did any one really wonder why R-V-D," he mimicked Rob's pose, "was thinking when he did this?  I mean, to give up such a hot-" Liz strode over to Heyman, shouldering past the Big Show.  She grabbed his microphone, effectively ending the man's sentence.

            "Number 1, Paul, my face is here," she snapped when his eyes wandered down her body, "Look at it when you talk to me, or else I'll shove your beady little eyes up your ass," she smirked at the expression on Paul's face, and was about to speak again, when Paul snatched the microphone back.

            "How enlightening, but honey, I'll look where I please," he faltered slightly at the dangerous look in her eyes.  "But my reason to come out here isn't really about this…  Now, before I was so rudely interrupted, I was talking about the day you two broke up.  You see, that day I paid a little visit to Rob."  Liz's eyes darted to Rob and then back to Heyman.  "I spoke to him about your relationship…  And I might," he added, trying to look sheepish, "Have made a threat or two…"  Liz froze, her eyes darkening as her mind jumped to conclusions.  She stared at Paul, and knew, from the proud smile on his face that she was right.  

            "You bastard," she hissed, leaping at the man with newfound anger.  The Big Show simply grabbed her around the waist and tossed her into a turnbuckle.  RVD leapt at Big Show, and the larger man proceeded to decimate him.  Liz moved to help him, when music struck up from the speakers once more.  She froze, and slowly turned.

            Brock Lesner ran toward the ring, Vince McMahon sauntering behind him.  The brunette stumbled backward, her eyes flashing between Paul and Brock.  She turned, only to see RVD become victim of a hellacious chokeslam.  Liz whirled around, bracing herself as Brock walked into the ring, immediately charging for her.  She snapped to the mat as he neared, intending to slip beneath him.  With one sharp movement, he lifted her off of the mat, and tossed her into a turnbuckle, her flailing arm slamming against the ropes and into her body painfully; her neck jerking back as she hit the pads.  Brock closed his hand around her throat, pinning her against the turnbuckle.  

            "I told Rob that he had a choice.  If he stayed with you, I would send Big Show after you…  I'd send him after you with a _sledgehammer.  _His other choice was to dump you, and do as I say.  It goes on record that Rob, being the protective boyfriend that he _was_," his voice turned sickly sweet, a malicious glimmer in his eyes, "Did as I told him.  He's been doing my bidding until now.  Rob," he stepped toward the martial artist, who was currently pulling himself to his feet using the ropes.  "No one, _no one, _betrays me without paying for it."

            "This has all been a game to me," Paul announced loudly as Big Show stomped on Rob's ribs.  "Everything…  Making Rob and Dominique bend to my will," he trailed off as Liz lashed out, gouging Brock in the eyes, and leaping toward Paul.  Brock grabbed her hair, and pulled down, snapping the brunette's body to the mat sharply.  She clasped her neck as he lifted her, tossing her back into the turnbuckle once more.  "All this time, you've been the center of my little game.  I've been tearing you down, little by little," his face twisted in glee, "Maybe, Liz, maybe you wondered whose game this was.  Maybe it was fate, you might've thought.  No.  This is _my _game, little girl, and I want you to remember…I am the Gamekeeper.  I'm the one who's been controlling your life for the past 1 ½ months or so."  He sighed, and stepped back, attempting to wait out the crowds boos.  "Frankly Liz, I'm starting to get sick of this game.  My plan's out and the game is nearing an end.  All I need to do is to finish the last level," his sick smile returned, and an image appeared behind him on the screen, showing the locker room's locked from the outside, storage cases and whatnot piled against the doors.  "Here's level 10," he stated, and stepped to Liz.  "No one can help you.  No one is going to," he stepped away, watching both RVD and Liz.  "This'll be your final stand together," he told them.  "Because I _guarantee _you that after tonight…  You'll never dare to step a foot in the ring again."  Paul passed a smile to the two.  "Sayonara," he whispered, and slid out of the ring, standing next to Vince.  Slowly, he reached out his hand.

            Vince shook his hand, and turned to the ring once more.  The Big Show and Brock glanced at each other, and passed a smile, turning to the two wrestlers.  

            Liz looked at RVD as the Big Show slammed into him.  Her gaze slowly turned to Brock.  "This is far from over," she said hoarsely.

            He pulled her to him, and hissed in her ear, "Give it up.  It's already over."

            As he shoved her roughly into the turnbuckle, she looked at him, a desperate, helpless feeling growing in her stomach.  Her jade eyes sparked as she replied with the first line of her entrance music.  "Forfeit the game."

            He grinned at her, a heartless laugh escaping his lips.  Brock grabbed her hair.  "The pace is too fast…_You just won't last." He finished.  She almost believed him._

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

**Author's Note:  **_That's it, I hope you like!  The next chapter might be up sooner—I had to march in the parade this weekend, and I spent the night at her house—because I don't have much to do next weekend, I don't think.  Anyway, I'm off to Algebra homework…  Ugh… 50 problems with no calculators and explanations for each one…  I'm already bored out of my mind.  Anyway, please review!_

_LittleKnux2008_

_P.S ~ I've thought of a plot line for Dominique, but it could go either way, with her living or dying…  I think I'm leaning toward one, but what do you guys think?_

_P.S.S ~ DiscoInferno1 – I think I explained it in the 28th chapter… I'm not quite sure, but it's around there…  There also might (MIGHT) be a semi-explanation in the next chapter.  _


	35. Chapter XXXV : Into the Fire

**Dangerous Business**

**          Chapter XXXV**

Liz looked up helplessly into Brock's eyes, feeling every bit of helplessness that she could bear.  Her heart beat ferociously against her chest, her mind trying meekly to digest the information laid out before her.

            Brock moved his grip from her hair to her throat, pulling her upward in a quick motion.  A strangled cry escaped her lips as she was moved in the air, into the position for a spinebuster.  A spilt second later, her body crashed against the ground, bouncing upward slightly.  She let out a small yelp of pain, grabbing at her back.  Her eyes squeezed shut, and when she opened them, she felt Brock grabbing her up.  

            Liz felt her head spin as Brock picked her up again, trying to complete an F5.  She shifted slightly in his arms, taking a deep breath.  Her body ached in protest as she spun out of his grip, landing awkwardly behind Brock.  When he turned, she ran headlong into his left leg, knocking him down.  She laid where she'd landed, her vision blurring and focusing, taking breaths.  Her head lolled to the side, her vision traveling along her extended arm to where Rob Van Dam and the Big Show were fighting.

            If her muscles felt anything but the aching, painful buzz, she would've cringed.  A steel chair was discarded in the middle of the ring, nearly bent in half, blood spattering the bluish steel like graffiti.  The Big Show stood near a turnbuckle, listening as Paul yelled to him from the outside of the ring.  Rob lay near the far side of the ropes, the blood pouring from his skull forming a crimson halo around his head.  

            "You little _bitch," her jade eyes flickered to Brock, who was standing up, fury darkening his face.  She shifted, pressing her body tighter to the mat as if to escape his reach.  Liz masked the fear that started to root inside of her.  She kept her eyes on Brock's, her hand reaching out for something—anything!—that would help her._

            Her fingers brushed against the steel chair.

            Liz scooted over the slightest bit, enough to get a grip around a bar of the chair.  Brock leaned down, not noticing the chair.  She tightened her hand, and brought the chair swinging sideways into Brock's head.  The stroke was weak, but disorientated Brock on his feet for a spilt second.  Liz gathered the chair into both hands, and cracked it against his skull, letting out a large breath when he fell.  

            The Big Show barely spared Brock and Liz a look-Paul had told him that Brock knew what do to.  Not that Big Show would ever trust a rookie.  His large hands reached out, grabbing Rob by the hair and pulling him to his feet.  He let go of Rob, who swayed on his feet.  His hand covered Rob's face and, with a powerful shove, he slammed Rob's head downward.  

            Liz hissed inwardly, rolling onto her stomach.  She _had get up; _had _to gain some offensive.  Her body recoiled inwardly, her left arm, back, and ribs throbbing.  Once again, her eyes strayed to the other side of the ring, only to see Rob being thrown to the ground, his head slamming into the mat, bouncing up, and hitting the mat once more, blood spattering across the mat._

            She swallowed tightly, closing her eyes briefly.  This wasn't a match, this wasn't a brawl, this was a _slaughter.  _

            And she was letting it happen.  Her insides boiled at the thought.  Anger stemmed from her mind-at Brock, at Paul, at the Big Show…         

            She found the strength to crawl to her hands and knees, looking over at Brock, who was dragging himself up by the ropes, still feeling the effects of the chair shot.  He caught her gaze, his eyes flaring with sudden anger.  

            Brock pulled himself to his feet, pushing away his fury for a brief second, walking around Liz in a tight circle, regaining his cockiness.  What could she do to him?  He was the Next Big Thing!  He was unstoppable!  His eyes glittered maliciously, his hand reaching out for her.  

            Liz bided her time, her newfound anger coursing through her.  Brock had forgotten the chair that she was clutching to her front, lying down again on the mat.  As he reached down, she gripped the top and flung it upwards, the bottom smacking against his chin.  She sprung to her feet, tossing the chair at him, and right after leaping in a dropkick.  He stumbled backward into the ropes.  Liz ran forward, clotheslining Brock to the outside.             The brunette stumbled back, victory shining in her eyes.  She whirled to Paul Heyman, leaping to the second rope as she glared at him, leaning over the top rope.  He smiled at her, and a brief glimpse of confusion broke through her features.  She whirled around, and her eyes widened. 

            The Big Show leapt toward her in a spear-an unblock able and unorthodox spear.  

            And a spear that could very well shatter all of her ribs. 

            ~                      ~                      ~

            Shawn Michaels drummed his fingers on the handle of the car door as he waited in the traffic.  _'Damn it!' _he cursed inwardly, glancing at the clock.  Sighing heavily, he looked ahead.  The turn into the arena was up close, at least.  He couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing something; that something was off…

            '_It's probably nothing_,' he told himself, slowly pulling up as the cars began to move once more.  After a minute, he finally pulled into the middle lane, going faster this time.  The car ahead of him turned, and he made to do so do, when out of the corner of his eye, he saw another car speeding toward him.  Shawn stepped onto the brakes, annoyed at the longer wait.  

            Nothing happened.

            The wheels on the car continued to spin, as the traffic light for the two lanes he was hoping to cross turned green.  Shawn slammed on the brakes, harder this time.  

            The car rolled into the first lane.   Fear jutted up his spine, and Shawn went for the accelerator.  His car rolled slower now, and he pressed both of the pedals, fear clenching around him.  His heart pounding, he turned to the left, and completely froze when he was met with the blinding headlights of a pick-up truck.  

            A moment later, the driver of the pick-up slammed on the brakes.  The truck continued onward with startling force.  Shawn squeezed his eyes, the crunching of metal and glass ringing through his ears for a spilt second before he felt himself and the car being propelled forward.

            Exactly one minute later, Shawn, bleeding from every crevice in his body, his limbs twisted unnaturally, fell into the darkness of unconsciousness.

            ~                      ~                      ~

A/N:  I'm so evil.  Anyway, please review!!  I don't know when the next chapter will be up.  This weekend or the next.  Either way.  REVIEW!


	36. Chapter XXXVI : Tangent

**Dangerous Business**

**          Chapter XXXVI**

Liz tried to force her limbs to move.  They stood stonily still, frozen with fear.  At the last second, heat flew up her legs, and she dropped to the mat, attempting to dodge the spear that was coming from the Big Show.  But her reaction had been too far delayed.  In the middle of her motion down, the Big Show's body crashed into hers.  His shoulder, originally aimed for her stomach, collided with her chest and upper ribs.  Liz spun in the air for a moment, and then she hit the canvas, instinctively curling in a protective ball.  

            Liz closed her eyes tight, clutching at her chest, her eyes squeezed shut.  Her breath came in short, tired rasps.  She couldn't breathe…  Her eyes flickered open for a second, and then shut again.  Her breaths came faster, burning pain igniting with each breath.  The Big Show lifted her up.  She grimaced, struggling to stay on her feet as his grip left her.  He shoved her lightly.  She hit the mat.  

            Laughing, the Big Show pulled her up again.  Liz's head fell downward, her hair covering her face as she stood weakly.  She knew what would come next, and she scowled inwardly, her stomach churning.  Was she just going to stand there, like a helpless piece of eye- her thoughts stopped abruptly.  _Like a piece of eye candy.  _Her hands balled into fists.  That'd been exactly what Vince McMahon had said about her.  A useless piece of eye candy.  

            The Big Show laughed at her swaying form, lavishing in the boos of the crowd.  He grinned, and shoved Liz lightly.

            She didn't budge.

            His cocky grin dropped, and he shoved her again, harder this time.  Despite the small burst of pain in her at the sharp movement, Liz stayed standing, slowly lifting her head up and starting at the man ahead of her.  The Big Show's face darkened with anger.  She leapt forward, but as soon as she did so, he gave her a powerful clothesline.  She landed heavily on her neck.  Wincing, she found herself in the same fetal position as before.  The Big Show grabbed her head, picked her up a foot, and then tossed her backward.  Her head smacked against the mat, and she cradled it with her hands.  When she found enough strength, she opened her eyes slightly.  She waited with calm patience for the blows to come.  The pain in her body seemed to dull, her consciousness drifting…

            She snapped back to Earth when music started up from the speakers.  Her heart skipped a beat.  She lifted her head, looked at the ramp, and then lowered it.  A small, whispery groan escaped her lips.   

            Evolution slipped into the ring, chairs in hand.  Liz thought of two possibilities for why they were here – either they were going to help the Big Show, or get the man back for *almost* beating Hunter out of his title.  Her jade eyes looked up widely as Randy hovered over her, locking eyes with her.  She braced herself for the impact of the chair, the loud echoes of the chair shots slamming against the Big Show thundering in her ears.  Liz waited for the blow.   

            _Crack.  _She shifted, eyes slightly shut.  The sound of the chair against flesh was so close…  Was she so far gone she couldn't feel anything?  Her eyes opened, and widened as she watched Randy slam the chair into Rick Flair's face.  Somehow, she found the strength to scoot back into the ropes.  Her instincts told her to get out, but her body didn't respond.  With wary eyes she watched Randy empty the remaining members of Evolution out of the ring.  

            Randy turned, glancing over at Liz, and then to the practically motionless body of Rob Van Dam.  Liz slowly crawled her way to Rob, her eyes barely leaving Randy's for a second.  He made no move toward her.  He simply watched as she set Rob's head in her lap, trying to see if he was okay, still keeping an eye on the member of Evolution.  She was desperately torn from leaping up and attacking Randy for what he did to her sister and checking on Rob.  

            Randy grabbed a microphone, and turned toward Rick and Hunter, who were scurrying up the ramp, along with the Big Show, Paul, Vince, and Brock.  "Why did I do that?" he repeated mockingly what Hunter had been mouthing.  "You see, Hunter, Rick," he paced about the ring, "You guys were just a stepping stone.  A stepping stone to the top!" he grinned as Rick shook his head vigorously.  "So, _Champ, you better keep that title close to you.  Keep it by you, and savor the fact that you have it."  Randy stepped back.  "You see, as of next week, commissioners are to be named for each show.  I talked to the commissioner of RAW already.  He's granted me a title shot to you, HHH," he smiled.  "Who better to take the title than the person who always interfered to help you keep it, huh?" the challenge in his eyes was focused on Hunter._

            "Come on and try me," Hunter tried to egg him on.

            "I'm not that stupid, Hunter," Randy said smugly, "Remember?  You trained me."  He smirked as they disappeared behind the curtains.  Slowly, the third-generation wrestler turned to Liz and Rob.  Liz tensed as he stepped closer.  Confusion flashed across her face as he stopped a good two feet away and extended his hand.  Liz gingerly set down Rob's head, setting over him so that she was directly in front of Randy.  Needle-sharp jolts of pain rushed through her with every breath and every movement, but she was determined not to let him see it.  The brunette reached out her hand, looping her pinkie finger with his, and lifting it to eye level.  The smile on his face boiled her insides.

            She raised her middle finger.  Her hand flipped, grabbing his wrist and pulling him closer to her.  Liz slammed her foot into Randy's stomach, and turned, performing a Stone Cold Stunner.  The crowd cheered, and Liz swayed on her feet, energy sapped out of her.  Randy actually believed that she would forgive him?  She fell to her knees, leaning against the ropes, her eyelids fluttering.  Her hand gripping her shoulder, slung across her chest, she crawled back to Rob, biting down on her lip, and her mind still digesting the information she'd been given.  Her hand brushed the hair away from his face as she mentally begged the EMTS to hurry to the ring.  A burst of noise shot through the speakers, and she expected a wrestler to come to the ring, but it was just a backstage camera.  Her eyes flashed up to the screen.  

            The bang had come from a locker room door, the door opening despite the cases in front of it.  Liz looked slightly relieved when she saw that it was only her father, Stone Cold Steve Austin.  The brunette's face tightened suddenly, seeing a figure clothed in black leather behind him, a crude pipe in his hands.  

            "No," the word fell from her lips unconsciously, her eyes widening once more.  Shakily, she stood up, taking a step toward the screen, shaking her head as if denying the fact that the image was there would make it be false.  She swayed on her feet, the pain ripping through her body slowly deteriorating her strength.  Liz turned around.

            All she saw before falling unconscious was a steel chair.

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

A/N:  Okay, I'm not sure about this chapter…  I like it, but I don't.  I'll explain the Randy thing in greater depth in later chapters, I suppose.  *rolls eyes* but do you guys REALLY think I could kill Shawn?  Don't worry; I'm not going to.  

And being the horrible author that I am, I'm too lazy to correct my mistake in Chapter 10.  This is what the sentence was supposed to read – "She heard Dominique comment on Rob, saying something about a new brother-in-law."

Anyway…  Updates probably aren't going to come as often.  I'm in Algebra this year (which is the highest math you can get in my grade) and the teacher's giving us like 50 problems per night.  Ugh.  The thing that really sucks though is that I got a REALLY bad grade on a test, as in failing it.  I'm an all A student and all, so my parents are probably going to ground me from the computer and TV and all if they get the progress report and it's less than a B.  So yeah.  Savor these horrible updates.  I've planned out some chapters in my head, but now I've got to figure out where I can put them.  

Well, please review!    


	37. Chapter XXXVII : Price to Play

**Author's Note:  **Okay, I'm not all too sure about the names, ages, and all that of Shawn's family, so just stick with it.  Oh, and I'm sticking with the last name Michaels-not his real one.  Hey—we past the 60,000 word mark!  10 more reviews until I reach 100!  I might not be able to update this week (as I write this) or next.  Tomorrow I'm going to Canada, and I've got TONS of make-up homework (100 question History sheet, 62 questions in Algebra, character charts in language and a bunch of other stuff) which is all due by Wednesday or Thursday.  Plus I've got billions of tests this week and next.  I hate my teachers.  Anyway…  Just letting you guys know!!  Please review!

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

**Dangerous Business **

**          Chapter XXXVII**

Shawn Michaels moaned quietly to himself, pain running through his veins, his eyes lightly shut.  He was aware of nothing but darkness around him.  Slowly, a beeping noise touched his ears.  He'd been near enough hospital machines in his life to know that this was one of them, producing beeps at his heart rate.  A moment later, a quiet voice rolled across the room.  Rebecca?  He guessed right, and strained to open his eyes to see his wife.  They seemed to be heavier than usual, and he almost retired at the urge to go back to sleep.  Through blurred vision, he saw the blotch of smeared dark brown hair sitting next to his hospital bed.  As his eyes focused, he could define her more.  A silver cell phone was in her right hand.

            "He's alive," Rebecca responded to the person on the other line, pushing some of her shoulder-length brown hair behind her ears.  "You got Austin?" the person on the other line said something.  "Leave Shawn out of this!" she said suddenly.  "You're the one who wants to bring _her _down, so what does Shawn have to do with it?" another pause.  "Yes, I know he's her friend, but use that Hardy girl or-or Edge!"

            Confusion lacing his face, Shawn struggled to hear the other side of the conversation.  Rebecca continued speaking, her left hand curled on top of her light pink skirt.  "The only matter concerning Shawn was to hurt him just enough."  Shawn heard a voice talking, but he couldn't decipher the words.  "So what if it was for my benefit?  I agreed to help you because of it!  If this doesn't go my way, I'll report you to the police!  YES!"  Shawn shifted, no longer trying to open his eyes.  Instead he concentrated on listening.  "Look, if we just take Li-" A groan escaped Rebecca's lips.  "Why do you waste your time only hurting her friends?  Kill someone-she'll get the message."

            Shawn froze.  No…  He had to be dreaming…

            Rebecca snarled something inaudibly into the phone, and then said abruptly.  "Bye."  Shawn's eyes fluttered closed; his mind reeling.  By some instinctive response to keep his emotions intact, his mind rejected what he heard.  By his nervousness and confusion over what Rebecca had been talking about, his breathing altered.  "Sweetheart?" Rebecca murmured, and he felt a cool hand pressed against his forehead.  He squinted up at her.  Somewhere in the back of his mind, he felt uneasy at the image he was receiving-cold hands, icy blue eyes…  And what kind of man was he, to be questioning his wife?!  

            "Who was on the phone?" he couldn't resist asking, taking note of the croak his voice seemed to have taken on.

            Rebecca leaned forward, her right forearm on the railing to Shawn's hospital bed, her left hand out of Shawn's line of vision.  "What are you talking about?" she questioned, sounding confused.  Her eyes rounded.  "Oh that!  I was just talking to Mom.  She was real worried about you!"

            Shawn shifted in his bed, feeling cornered.  "Your mother 'got Austin'?"  Rebecca's face twisted into something ugly, and Shawn immediately wanted to recall his last statement.  

            His wife glared down at him, knowing he had heard.  Her eyes blazed with something Shawn couldn't quite decipher.  "Shawn, _honey_," she said, her voice dripping with malice as she rummaged in her bag.  Shawn looked as she lifted her hands, and froze as he saw a syringe in her hand.  "I think it's time for you to go to sleep," she smiled at him, filling the syringe with a creamy white liquid.  

            "Rebecca!" he cried, wincing at the pain in his throat.  His hand flew up to it, touching bandages.  "What are you doing?  Stop it!  REBECCA!" his voice was no more than a whisper.  His wife pressed a finger to his lips.  

            "Shawn…" Rebecca sighed quietly, fiddling with his IV tube as she spoke.  A little smile played on her face as she spoke.  "This is because of you that I'm doing this."  At Shawn's odd expression, she continued, an airy, but triumphant look on her face, "You are always working.  Never coming home, hell, never even inviting me along.  You've been acting like I'm nothing.  I married you for the money and the spotlight Shawn, and the fact that you're good in bed was just a plus," she smirked slightly.  "But lately you've been hanging out with those Divas…  And I heard a little rumor going around about you and Elizabeth.  I hate being pushed to the sidelines!  I married you for spotlight, and I'm not getting it!" her hands shook.  Shawn's eyes were frozen widely.  The syringe tip moved closer to the point where medicine could be injected.  "I found a man that wanted badly to teach that girl a lesson, so I offered to go along with him.  The plan was to get you in a crash so that you get hurt, and give the girl a jar.  When you woke up, I'd be there, and naturally you'd come back to me, and I'd say my lines to get you to stay," she gritted her teeth.  "But Shawn, you screwed it all up!  So I'm just going to give you this little bit of drug here…  And in an hour, you'll wake up, and you won't remember a thing about the last two years of your life…  And if the man who gave me this drug is wrong, it might end up being a little more."  The crooked grin on her face was in place as the syringe tip was pushed into the tube.  "Goodnight Shawn," she smiled wickedly, "Sweet dreams."

            *                      *                      *          (1 day later)            *                      *

            "Liz?!" Liz Smith moaned quietly, her eyes still shut, her breaths coming in slow but steady intervals.  Jeff Hardy leaned closer to her.  Her eyes flickered open, and shut against the blinding light of the hospital room she was in.  

            "Why does it feel like I've been hit by a truck?" she mumbled, trying to shift in the bed, but wincing at the pain that came with it.  Jeff curled one leg under him as he answered.

            "Well that may be because you have been drifting in and out of consciousness for, oh say, 2 days due to a heavy concussion," he ticked off the rest of the injuries on his fingers, "A partially collapsed lung, a sprained wrist, a couple broken ribs," he took a breath, "and you hurt your left arm again…"  She nodded slightly, her eyes moving open.  

            "So, just us?" she asked.

            Jeff yawned, setting his chin on his hand.  "Just us for a little bit.  I told Lita and Edge to go to the hotel and get some rest.  They'll be back soon.  It's only 7 right now, so they'll probably be here in five minutes," he said with a small grin.  

            Liz shifted quietly, and the events from RAW slowly took their place in her present thoughts.  She sighed, biting down on her lip slightly.  "How's Rob?" she asked quietly.  

            Jeff tilted his head, and replied, "He's doing all right.  The doctors were worried about blood loss for a bit…  But they said that after a day or two, Rob will be cleared, and will only have a hell of a headache."

            "What happened to Da - Austin," she said his last name quickly, louder than the 'Dad' she'd almost said.  A frustrated expression was on her face.  Had she really almost referred to him as 'Dad'?

            Jeff looked down.  Technically speaking, this was his *uncle*.  Blood or not, he didn't hate Stone Cold, and the way he was beat down, on live TV…  God, it made his insides crawl, just thinking about that image he saw, the screams he heard…  "He's pretty beat up," was all he managed to spit out, gripping the arm of the chair slightly harder.  

            "Can we play good news bad news?" Liz asked weakly, snuggling back into the covers.  "Bad news first," she ordered. 

            "Bad news…" Jeff took a deep breath.  "Austin was ambushed by some guy in leather.  You were ambushed by some girl in leather, after you were beat by Brock and the Big Show.  Rob was practically beat to death by the Big Show.  Dominique is still in a coma.  Big Show and Brock weren't hurt.  Shawn was in a car crash.  Randy can't be sued for hurting Dominique, because she signed some release contract…" he sighed, letting silence fall over them before continuing.  "But, good news…  You and Rob are going to be okay.  They're pretty sure that Austin is going to pull through.  Dominique is showing more signs that the doctors say mean she's going to wake up soon…  You've got an angry mob and almost everyone gunning after the Big Show and Brock," he paused, racking his brain for anything he had missed.

            "Shawn?" Liz prompted quietly, all the information sinking into her mind.

            Jeff looked down at his hands.  "He's going to be okay…  He woke up the other day…  He's doing real well, but…"

            "But?" her expression was already hazy, as if she was expecting a great blow to come.

            "He doesn't remember the past few years of his life," Jeff spit out quickly, a shiver running down his back at the thought of losing his own memory.  

            Liz sighed audibly, closing her eyes slightly.  "Could be worse," she said quietly.  _'Everything can always be worse,' part of her retorted.  "So bottom line being Rob, me, Austin, maybe Dominique, and Shawn are going to be okay.  Big Show and Brock are going to preferably rot in hell."  She wrinkled her nose, "It sounds like a soap opera to me."_

            Jeff smiled slightly.  "I uh…_talked _to Vince.  He granted you a week off.  We want you to stay the weekend over at Aunt Lee's house or that cottage you have down in Texas.  Either way, we want you to relax.  Aunt Lee and I are going to stay at Dominique's hospital, and we'll call you as soon as anything happens."

            "This is one of those no choice things, isn't it?" Liz asked weakly.

            Jeff nodded.  "Yeah, it's one of those."  Liz nodded meekly, closing her eyes.  

            "Give a message to Brock and Big Show for me, will you?  Just mail it or something.  Tell them this:  As long as I'm still breathing, and alive, I'm going for revenge.  And tell Brock…  Tell him _'You live what you learn.'_"

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

**Author's Note:**

_            I'm so sorry it took so long to get this chapter up!  I've been working on my other stories and creating song fics and such, and I forgot about the half finished chapter I had on my computer.  I've finally gotten back on track with my ideas for this story, so yeah!  The author's note at the beginning was from like 2 weeks ago…  Jeez…  I'm such a slacker.  Anyway, please review!  10 more reviews!  _

_            Okay, future warning here.  The next few chapters are going to be mean.  People are going to get hurt.  A person is going to die.  NO IT'S NOT SHAWN OR ROB; I'M NOT THAT EVIL!_

_            Then again, I DID kill Jeff in one of my other stories…_

_            Hey, hey I'm just trying to get you guys scared.  But I won't kill Shawn or Rob, I promise.  _

_            Anyway, please review!_

_            ~LittleKnux2008~_


	38. Chapter XXXVIII : Incisions, Part I

**Dangerous Business**

**Chapter XXXVIII**

            Liz stared at the house ahead of her for a second before putting her car into park.  It looked so serene; so unlike everything else that she'd been with for the past few weeks.  She stepped out of the car, heading toward the small, wooden, cozy home.  "Welcome back," she whispered, walking to the front door, searching her coat pockets for her keys.  Walking inside, she tossed the keys onto a circular table in the kitchen.  All of the rooms were small, and it was only a one-story house, excluding the basement, but she loved it, if only for the size.  Reflexively, she touched the message machine.

            "You have 1 new message," the steely-toned voice said.  There was a beep, and Liz sat down, dumping her duffel bag to the floor.  "Hi, Liz," the voice faltered, and Liz's heart leapt.  _Rob…  "Jeff gave me this number; I hope that's all right...  Anyway, I was just calling to see if you were all right.  If you want, call me back.  If not, I'll see you next week."  The second beep echoed through her house.  "End of final message," the pre-recorded voice in the machine said.  _

            The brunette stood up, her hand closing around the phone, her fingers itching to dial a number imprinted into her mind. Halfway to the end of the number, she stopped, her fingers hovering over the keys.  _'What am I thinking?' she ducked her head, and pressed the "Off" button.  __'What if…  What if he asks about how I feel?'  Somewhere, she didn't think he would address it over the phone, maybe not even in person…but the threat was there, and she didn't want to not have an answer for him._

            "I need to call him," her voice echoed throughout the room.  _'Later,' she promised herself emptily.  Sighing, she picked up her duffel bag, walking into her room.  The walls were decorated like an ocean, a beautiful sunset painted behind her bed.  Her blankets and bench by the corner were a clean white; her carpet a dark blue.  Yawning, she set her bag down onto her bed, sitting down at her computer, her back facing the open door to her bedroom.  As she began the laborious process of deleting junk e-mails and rooting through anything she should read, but didn't want to, she lost herself.  So lost that she didn't notice the man clothed in black leather standing in her open doorway, a sharp kitchen knife in his left hand as he stared at her.  _

            Liz's fingers stopped abruptly, a small shiver traveling up her spine.  She turned around, eyes narrowing.  She relaxed, only seeing the white wallpaper of her hallway.  _'Jeez, what'd you expect?' _she scolded herself, _'Stop being paranoid.'  _

            Rubbing at her jade eyes, she pressed the print button, and rolled over to her printer, scowling when a light flashed over an image over a drop of ink.  "Just great," she muttered, "Vince McMahon sends me papers to fill out, and I don't have any ink!"  Liz stood up, walking slowly past the bedroom door.  _'Maybe there's some in the basement...'  She walked to the basement door, and stepped in.  Liz didn't particularly like the basement.  It was cold, and she'd often fell down the stairs.  As soon as you stepped inside, you had to go down about seven or eight stairs to a landing until you reached the light, and while you headed down the steps to the light, it was nearly impossible to see the steps.  Through years of routine, she'd adapted to this, hardly falling._

            Her heels fell against the gray, wooden stairs as she walked down them, a narrow stream of light from the upstairs shining dimly.  As she hit the landing, her arm reached out to feel along the bumpy wall for the light switch.  Her hand hit something, but it was far from a light switch.  It almost felt like...like a human hand.  It closed around her own hand, and she felt her heart thunder against her chest.  "Hello," a whisper traveled to her ears, and she thought it sounded familiar, but couldn't place it.  Her foot lashed out in self-defense.  Whoever-or whatever-was holding onto her moved, and her foot landed halfway over the landing, pointing down to the series of steps.  She tried to control her balance, but before she could, she was shoved from behind.  Her ankle collided with the step, and she went head over heels down the steps.  Her arms flew up to her head, trying to shield herself.  Mended body parts crashed against wood, bruising her body.  She was still not 100% from the hospital, and the fall was hurting her more than she cared to think about.  

            Finally, the uncontrollable fall was over.  She inhaled sharply, clutching at various body parts.  Panic settled in at a degree, and she strained her eyes, desperately trying to see her attacker.  "Who are you?!" she demanded, crawling backward, hoping to buy time.  

            "That's for me to know, and you never to find out," the voice replied, and she couldn't pinpoint its direction.  It struck her once more that the voice sounded so familiar.  Liz stood up quickly, wildly striking out with her fists, hoping to hit something.  She stopped for a brief moment, still trying to find her target, when a burst of hot white pain spread into her shoulder from behind.  She cried out, her vision temporarily blinded, her hand clutching at it.  Feeling the warmth of blood, she shivered.  

            Her shoulder crippled her as she tried to remain moving.  Whoever it was, they had an acute sense of sight in the dark.  She tried to focus, and nearly gasped in relief when her shin hit the stair.  Liz started to leap up the stairs, her body paining in protest, her jade eyes focused on the sliver of light.  And then it disappeared, and a hollow laugh echoed through the basement.  Her heart jumped into her throat, and she ran blindly, her hip slamming into a table, her arms slapping against poles… 

            She screamed as something collided with the back of her skull.  Her face hit the cold concrete, her senses jumbled, the fear climbing.  Rough hands pulled her arms back as she tried to clear her vision; tried to crawl away.  She felt something being wrapped around her wrists.  

            "Enjoy the show," the voice whispered again, and she tried to move, only to have her arms jerked back behind her.  Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized that her hands must be tied to a pole of some sort.  In front of her, a T.V. flickered to life.  She was aware of something standing next to her, just out of reach.  "This is a direct link to the hospital," he whispered.  She looked away, curiosity not overcoming her fear.  Hands grabbed her face, turning her eyes to the monitor, fingers holding her eyes open.  

            On the screen, numbers flashed in the upper corner-the time.  But in the middle, there was her sister, her hair spread out around her head, her sleepy expression peaceful.  Struggling against the hands holding her face, Liz wondered what was so important that this-thing-wanted her to see.

            And then she saw the leather-clad woman standing next to Dominique.  Her mind recalled unconsciously the facts that Jeff had told her, and she lurched forward.  The arms holding her disappeared for a moment.  Another blow hit her, and she flew forward onto her stomach.  Hands pulled her hair, pulling her head up, and fingers once again opened her eyes for her.  A black object appeared in the woman's hand, pointing toward the unmoving blonde.

            Liz squirmed beneath the person, and tried to get free, her legs-the only free part of her body-colliding with the person's back repeatedly.  But all of her struggling was to no avail.  There was a good 200 pounds on top of her, and she was no going to be able to fight out of it.  She furiously tried to close her eyes, but the person held them open.  She finally looked, her heart crashing against her ribs as her mind denied the image that she saw next. 

            What looked like a spark flew from the object, and then Dominique's eyes flashed open.  Dark liquid spilt down her forehead.  The blonde's mouth froze in mid-breath, her eyes filled with pain.  The leather-clad woman smiled, putting away the object-a gun-and walking into the bathroom.  

            "No," Liz whispered.  It had to be fake; it had to!  She barely noticed that the weight had left her back.  A dim light flickered on over her, and she saw the man ahead of her, who was, too, clad in leather.  Her eyes traveled down to his hand, where a kitchen knife was gripped.  She didn't recognize her own scream as it tore from her lips, as she tried to get up and run.  There was a stinging blow across the side of her skull, and then nothing.

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**Author's Note:  **_It's done.  Finally, I'm back on track with my ideas!  Anyways, I've got a huge book report due on Friday and my books overdue like a week but that's okay!  So maybe on the weekend I'll try and do another chapter.  ~.^ It's going to involve a lot of Chris Jericho and Jeff Hardy…maybe a little of RVD and Edge.  Just to let ya know.  Anyway, please review!_


	39. Chapter XXVIV : Incisions, Part II

**Dangerous Business**

**          Chapter XXXVIV**

Rebecca Michaels seated herself calmly down beside her husband's hospital bed, a calm, aloof look on her face as she looked down at his sleeping form.  Folding her legs as she sat, she tugged her hair down from its bun, catching sight of her fingernails, which were painted a bright red, matching with her blouse.  She made a small face at them, _'Once he wakes up, I'll have a manicure,' _she decided; as if the fact that when her husband woke up, he wouldn't remember the past two years of his life.  But it wasn't just 'as if', it was the truth.  She _wanted it to happen, hell, she made it happen!  Rebecca pushed her thick hair behind her shoulders and leaned forward, taking Shawn's hand in her own as she stared at him.  Her face moved into a concerned expression…a fake one._

            "Shawn, honey?" her voice was soft.  Rebecca watched him intently.  The doctors had said he'd been going from unconsciousness to consciousness several times in the last few hours.  _'It's only a matter of time before Shawn wakes up for good,' _Rebecca stated to herself as she cocked her head, feeling fingers move beneath her hand.  _'Maybe sooner than I thought…'  _Her hand jerked away from Shawn's as she felt her cell phone vibrate against her side.  She unclipped it, flipping it open.  She wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.  A small smile played on her face as she looked at the screen.  It was a text message.  **_'I give you an A+.  Next class is on RAW.'  _Rebecca stared at the message, and the phone number beneath it for a second, considering replying with something equally vague.  Shrugging her shoulders, she pressed in a message.  ****_'How was your lesson?  What if our student is absent?'  _ She got the slightly cryptic message typed, and her fingers hovered over the send key, when she saw Shawn's eyes open.  Quickly, she snapped the phone shut, fumbling to put it on her clip as she twisted her face into a concerned expression once more.  "Shawn?  It's me, honey.  How are you feeling?" her fingers wrapped gently around his hand as she stared at him, blue eyes wide.  **

            "Re-Rebecca?" he sputtered, his voice rasping.  She nodded slowly, taking a glass of water from the nightstand and holding it to him.  Shawn took a small sip, and as soon as he regained his breath, stared at his brunette wife.  "Where am I?" he asked.  "Why do you look so different?"  

            As Rebecca feigned a saddened, distraught feeling on her face, Shawn's doctor walked into the room, one hand stuffed into a crisp white jacket, another clutching a brown clipboard with pale fingers.  "I have a couple of questions for you, if you don't mind," he said, addressing his words to Shawn as he stood next to the hospital bed.  Confusion still prominent on his face, Shawn nodded.  "What is your name?"

            "Shawn Michaels," he replied, tilting his head as the doctor continued to ask questions-such as location and date of birth and his parents' names.  

            "What is the date?" the doctor finally asked, seemingly coming to an end of his questioning.  

            "September 11th, 2000," Shawn responded.  He looked to Rebecca, who gazed at her hands, which were folded in her lap, her face downcast.

            "Mr. Michaels, I'm afraid I've got to tell you some bad news," the doctor started.  "2 days ago, you were in a terrible car crash."  Shawn shook his head quickly, almost interrupting the other man, but in the end deciding not to.  "You were hospitalized, and it appeared you were fine.  However, you've been unconscious for a day…"

            "So what's with the questions?" Shawn said, feeling the need to coax the man along to the important things.  "Why ask for the date?"

            The doctor sighed, setting his clipboard on the nightstand, and then said, bluntly, "Shawn, you have amnesia."

            Shawn was too shocked to notice the hidden grin on Rebecca's face.

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            Chris Jericho sighed quietly as he drove along the street slowly.  He'd gotten Edge to give him the location of Liz's cottage-like home.  Edge had protested at first; saying that Liz deserved time to rest, but Chris was more stubborn than his Canadian friend.  He wanted to make sure she was okay—for reasons he was too cowardly to admit to Edge, or, for that matter, Liz.

            "When Edge said it was in the middle of no where, he was right," Chris muttered quietly, spotting a small wooden house coming up.  With a small sigh of relief, he pulled into the driveway, gravel crunching beneath the tires.  He sighed, stuffing his keys in the pocket of his blue jeans as he approached the house.  His eyes narrowed as he came closer.  The door was ajar.  _'Must've just forgotten to shut it,' he told himself, but didn't believe it.  Liz didn't fear a lot; but after the attack on her father and herself, the blonde Canadian knew she would be cautious in the least; maybe a bit fearful.  Then again, he didn't know Liz all that well.  _

            Still, as he walked into the house, a shiver rolled up his spine, giving him uneasiness.  "Liz?" he called out loudly, wincing at the echo of his voice around the halls.  He shook his head, attempting to clear the eerie feeling of the place out of his head.  It remained, more intense this time.  Chris strained his ears, and frowned when he heard the soft sound of sobbing.  He walked toward the sound, ending up by the basement door.  Opening the door, he peered down.  All he could see from this point was darkness.  Nerves jumping, he stepped down the stairs, the light from the swung open door giving him light until he could flip on the lights.  As he stepped onto the landing and did just that, his face turned into a frown.  The stairs before him were slightly dented…as if someone had fallen down them.  _'Moment of klutziness,' he covered rationally.  _

            "Liz?" he said again, slowly descending down the stairs.  His blue eyes widened at the sight of dark blood on the concrete floor.  A single light was on.  He turned toward it, and immediately saw the shaking figure hunched over before an old television.  Chris nearly sprinted toward it.  "Liz?" he asked again, kneeling to her side, his hands gently tipping her face up toward him.  She didn't look at him, just collapsed against him, her hands clutching at his shirt.  Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her.  Over her shoulder, he glanced down at her.  Bruises covered her legs and arms; she was bleeding from her shoulder and head…  And that probably wasn't even half of it.  His eyes traveled to the television, and his body stiffened.  Colors flickered from black and white to normal, but the sickening image remained the same: the bloody body of Dominique Smith; police officers surrounding her hospital bed.  A curse fell from his lips, along with an emotional blow of pain.  His eyes moved away from the television—anything but that screen!—and fell upon two words engraved in the wall behind it.

            **_'Your fault.'_**

****It was embodied in cruel handwriting, streaks of red that Chris could only suppose was blood coloring them.  His stomach churned at the thought of someone as sick as to do it, when a noise jarred him from his thoughts.

            The front door slamming.

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                                                            **_THE END_**

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                        _Nah, just kidding.  TO BE CONTINUED…  (Did I get ya?)_

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**Author's Note:  **Bit of a shorter chapter, but I hope you guys like it.  I was kind of hesitant about killing Dominique…  But, anyway….  WE'RE ALMOST TO 50 CHAPTERS!  Well…like 10 chapters but that's a ton shorter then 40!  I noticed that we were past 30 the other day—I had to scroll down to find my last chapter…  

Okay, today I was sick so I stayed home from school (why you're getting the chapter this early), and I figured out that for Algebra we're doing a small "review project" of averages and crap about ratings for something that happens at least like once every two weeks (two or three; I'm not sure…) So I figured I'd do it for this story. I may do it for another story too, but probably just this story.  Anyway, what you need to do (Well, only if you want, but please?????  Consider me begging!), is rate each chapter out of 10, based on other stories you've read or other chapters…  Whatever you want to base it on, really!  But if you guys could do that for me I'd be forever thankful!

Please review!!!!!!!!!!

            ~LittleKnux2008~


	40. Chapter XL : Fallen

**Author's Note:  **Almost to 50 chapters!  Everybody cheer!  Please review!  BTW, I'm saying that Shawn returned to the WWE after 2000 and was off then, I'm not real sure if that's right or not!  And I made up Cameron's age!

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *

**Dangerous Business**

**            Chapter XL**

Chris Jericho's head snapped up as he heard the front door slam.  His body stiffened slightly, the only noise coming to him the stifled sobs from Liz and the small, almost inaudible call of static from the television.  He gritted his teeth, straining his ears to hear anything.

            Footsteps.  His eyes flashed open, hearing the small clacks of shoes against cement.  His body relaxed, but only slightly.  _'Outside.  They're outside.' The blonde Canadian glanced down at Liz, internally debating.  __'Whoever did this is out there, making their getaway,' the thought rebounded around his head.  _'I should go and get them, before it's too late.'__

But one look at the shaking woman in his arms and the phrase was diminished.  He would never catch the person who did this, even if he left now.  He couldn't leave Liz here, not now when she was so vulnerable…so heartbroken.  "Liz?" he asked gently.  There was no response.  He looked down, gently shaking her, his heart lurching when he saw her head loll to the side like a broken puppet.  Quickly, Chris untangled her from his arms, laying her out on the carpet.  As he did so, he saw the thick blood left on his clothes, and the small pool already forming on the carpet.  Hurriedly searching for a pulse, he pulled out his cell phone, dialing 9-1-1 as fast as his fingers would permit.  

            "Police, fire or medical?" the dispatcher asked quickly.

            "Police and medical," Chris said quickly, his two fingers resting on Liz's neck.  He let out a small sight of relief as he felt a pulse; slow, and barely there, but a pulse nonetheless.  The Canadian glanced back at the horrific TV screen as he hung up his phone.  _'What has she done to deserve this?  Paul Heyman makes Rob and Dominique betray her, then Evolution kidnaps Dominique, puts her in a coma, she breaks up with Brock after he nearly kills Kurt and then he's out for revenge, then there's the match with Evolution, then Big Show and Brock attack her, and now this!'_

Chris bit his lip, eyeing Liz worriedly.  Even if she made it through this okay…  How much could one person take?  She was already testing her emotional limits as it was…  Would the death of her sister push her over the edge?

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *

            "I guess we remodeled," Shawn Michaels said quietly to himself as he stepped in his house.  Beside him, Rebecca nodded. 

            "Yeah," she said, vague smile coming to her face.  "You and I spent three weeks redoing everything before…" she stopped, her face tightening.  

            "Before what?" Shawn stopped, turning to face her.  His wife tried to avoid his eyes by bowing her head.  "'Becca?" he asked inquisitively.

            "Before you left to go back," she whispered, looking up at him.  _'This is too easy,' _she thought inwardly with a smile, _'Just play the part of a wife so saddened by his loss of presence before, and how she dreads him going back again…and you'll have your way.  I'm getting mine…' She fought to hide a smile, and instead sat down on a couch, staring at the wide-screen TV ahead of her.  _

            Shawn slowly made his way over to her, setting a duffel bag on the floor as he did so.  "What are you talking about?" he asked, sitting beside her, his arm going around her shoulders in habit.  He paused slightly, and bowed his head.  _'She's talking about the truth, dimwit,' _he told himself.  _'She's talking about what you don't remember.'_  Rebecca laid her head on his chest, sighing heavily.

            "I don't want you to go back again," she confessed quietly, looking up at him.  "It was like losing you for months at a time, and phone calls just don't cut a relationship…  Cameron didn't—" she paused, swallowing tightly.  

            "Cameron didn't what?" Shawn paused, looking around quickly.  "Speaking of him, where is he?"  There was silence as a response.  Shawn turned, staring at Rebecca, whose composure seemed to crumble. 

            "He-he isn't here," she whispered almost inaudibly.  

            "What do you mean?" Shawn responded, silently going through the places where his son could be.  "Where is-"

            "Shawn!" her outburst silenced him.  She took a breath, her eyes locking with his, tears forming in her eyes.  "He…" she bit down on her tongue, and then spoke after a small silence.  He committed suicide two years ago." Her eyes fell on a slip of paper sitting among various pictures on their mantle.  She stood; not looking back at Shawn's shocked expression.

            "Tell me…  Tell me you're kidding," Shawn whispered, his voice holding a pleading note to it.  Rebecca smiled, reaching for a small sheet of paper she'd set on the mantle a day ago.  _'Of course I'm not telling the truth,' _she replied silently, _'If you knew that he was in boarding school in _Sweden___, where would the fun be?' She reached out, making her hand shake as she brought out the paper from beneath a picture frame.  Forcing tears out of her eyes, Rebecca walked forward, sitting down beside Shawn.  _

            "This is his note," she choked out, watching as Shawn's face turned pale.  Shawn lifted the letter, and began to read, tears blurring his eyes.  __

_            "Dear Mom and Dad,_

_            You always told me that you would be there for me.  You always said that if I had problems, you would be there to comfort me, to help me through it all.  You guys always said I came first, over your jobs.  Well, you **lied.  Everyday I come home it's the same.  Mom, you always leave a dinner out for when I get home and you are at your job, along with anything else I need.  Almost everything.  I need a **Mom**, not a warm meal everyday.  But at least you come home at nights, and talk to me every once in a while.  Dad, you can't take the time out of your schedule for me.  I haven't talked to you in five months.  The only time you ever come home is for a couple days, and even if you get an injury, all you're concerned about is returning to the ring.  I guess I'm second to a lot of things after all, including your guys' love.  Consider this a lesson to any future kids you may have—family should come first, not second to anything.  Then again, you wouldn't want to deal with such a bother again, would you?  Such a crimp in your jobs?  This is goodbye.  A final goodbye.  If, by some chance, I'm alive when you get here, don't try and change this.  I ****want to die.  There's nothing to live for.  Good riddance.  Wish I could say I love you, but I can't.  Goodbye.**_

_            Cameron"_

            Shawn froze, staring at the letter, not noticing that his tears were blotting the ink pen used to write those incriminating words.  _'No…  That's not Cameron…' _he pleaded with himself desperately, _'that isn't my 9-year-old son, it can't be!' _but the facts were there, staring him in the face.  Cameron had killed himself, and the way it was told, it was because of **him**; because he wasn't a good parent…  Hell, he hadn't been a parent at all!  Shawn dropped the letter, unable to watch as it floated to the ground.  _'How did he do it?  Did he stand, looking out across the street from the window, thinking of all the things he didn't have?  Did he sit down on his bed, tears running down his face, deciding that he didn't have anything to live for?' _Shawn trembled, putting his head in his hands as he sobbed quietly, ignoring Rebecca's one tired sniffles and small tears of a memory awakened.  

            Rebecca gently hugged him.  As he returned the hug, he spotted a black ink blotch on the side of her hand.  The fact remained in his mind, but then he hardly noticed the resemblance between that and the ink on the paper.  

            Over Shawn's shoulder, Rebecca smiled.  Everything was going according to plan.  The little blonde wrench was dead, Liz was probably a broken mess, and Shawn—Shawn was hers.  All that remained was for her partner to finish the job on Liz, and for Shawn to bring her back where she belonged—in the spotlight, casting her shadow upon others.  And then, and only then, would she get her dream.

            The only ones who could stop it were Shawn and Liz, and they weren't talking.

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**Author's Note:  **Ugh.  Gay ending.  Anyway, a late Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to everyone!  Sorry it's been so long w/out updating!  Hopefully this will get my story back on track!  I've missed you guys!  And I've got 100 reviews!  Okay 101, but YES!  Thank everyone who reviewed!!   *gives everyone who reviewed a huge teddy bear*!  I love you guys so much!!  Please keep reviewing!!  Chapter 50 is coming up soon!  Wow…  Anyway, please continue to review!  Have a happy winter break!  I'll try and update as often as possible!  If you're bored, check out "So I Need You", it's what made this story so delayed!  Well, goodnight!!  Please review!


	41. Chapter XLI : Dwindling Hope

**Author's Note:  **Decided to try and catch up on this story again, so you're getting another chapter!  Anyway, it's almost 2004!  Wow…  This story's been around for 9 months.  It really doesn't seem that far along…  Still, that means I've been posting about 4 2,000 word chapters, or so my calculator says.  Whatever, I don't trust it ~.^  Anyway, we're finally onto the "XL" chapters.  No, it doesn't mean they're bigger, though I wish I had the time!!  Please review!

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**Dangerous Business**

**            Chapter XLI**

The waiting room of the hospital was eerily quiet.  Six men and woman sat in the hard, plastic chairs, each showing different signs of worry.  Jeff, looking as if he was a zombie, stared at the wall, biting on his lip.  Next to him, his girlfriend, Trish, gripped his hand, looking worried as well.  Two red-headed women—Willow and Lita—sat away from the couple, their gazes wandering over the waiting room.  Edge slouched next to Willow, elbows on his thighs, shaking his head frequently, as if to repel pessimistic thoughts.  Chris Jericho sat in the back of the room, having refused to speak of what happened to anyone, blue eyes downcast but hopeful, hands twisting in his lap.  Silence hung over the six, and if anyone recognized the WWE wrestlers, they didn't dare approach them.  

            A doctor suddenly appeared from the hallway to their left, eyes set on Jeff, the patient's only relative.  Jeff nearly leapt out of his seat and sprinted toward the doctor.  "She's in pretty good shape, considering what it appears she went through.  We've run some tests, so we won't know how bad it really is until the results come back.  You can speak to her now, but don't overwhelm her.  Two at a time at the most," he added, nodding his head at Jeff and walking away briskly.  Jeff looked over at the others.  

            "Lita and Trish, you want to go first?" he asked.  "Edge and Willow, you guys can go second," Jeff's eyes landed on Chris as he looked up.  Chris understood the look—Jeff wanted to talk with him.  The blonde Canadian bowed his head, still relieved over the information.  Liz was all right.  Physically, at the least, but all right.  

            As the four others moved to go near Liz's room, Jeff sat down next to Chris.  "I'm not going to ask what happened.  I got what you saw from the police," he added, and Jericho turned slightly, thankful that he didn't have to explain the treacherous sight still imprinted in his mind.  Jeff looked at Jericho, holding the man's attention this time.  "You are going to go see her, right?"

            "Yeah," it was the bluntest answer he could say, and so he did.  Chris blinked at Jeff, slightly curious.  What was this all about, if he didn't want to ask about the attack?

            "Look, you have to understand what she's going through, besides all the stuff that happened before this.  That house?  That was the place she'd always go to when Aunt Lee and Uncle Mark fought, and sometimes when she and Austin fought.  She used to help out an old couple that lived there, now she bought the house after they passed away…  But my point is, that was her safe place; the place that, no matter what, was safe from everything.  Now that that element of safe is gone, she may not think there's any other place she's safe from this bastard." He looked at Chris, eyes hardening.  "It's not exactly a secret that you like Liz as more than a friend—hell, everyone says you've changed from heel to face on-screen for her.  I don't really care what you do for her, but God help you if you put anymore stress into her life.  Right now she doesn't need you added to Brock and Rob to stress her out.  You got it?"

            "I got it," Jericho replied quietly, looking back at the bleak, sterile walls surrounding them.  Jeff sighed, setting his head in his hands.

            "She doesn't deserve this," he whispered, mostly to himself.  Chris blinked quietly, thinking, ignoring Jeff's obvious thought.

            "She's going to have to go through more," he spoke aloud, leaning back in his chair.  "Whoever is doing this knows her.  He or she…  Hell, we'll just call it "it" because it doesn't deserve a name that's remotely human.  It knows how she reacts to things.  What she holds in high honor; how she'd risk herself for her family and friends…  Liz won't be able to trust anyone.  Anyone she looked to as a friend could be her attacker."

            "There are two," Jeff said suddenly, glancing up.  "It has to be.  The woman who attacked her in the ring and the man who attacked Austin…" he sighed, "At least she knows it's not Austin."

            "It could be them…  But what about Evolution?  She gave them the beating of their lives in that steel cage match, and they haven't done anything to her…  Randy must've ruined it for them when they tried to.  This could be some sort of sick way of revenge…" he trailed off.

            "But whoever did this…" Jeff stopped, fighting tears.  "…they killed Qui," a strangled sob escaped his throat, followed by a hollow laugh, "Evolution wouldn't want that much of a black mark on their names…" 

            Chris was quiet at Dominique's mention in their conversation, trying to fight the wave of sadness that came over him.  He hadn't known Dominique that well…but among his new friends like Jeff and Liz, her effect was there, giving everyone a brighter outlook.  Now that she was gone…  Chris swallowed, thinking over what Jeff said.  There was one flaw with it, but the blonde Canadian didn't want to bring it up.  Still, he had to.  "There's not a huge difference between a coma and death, Jeff," he whispered.  "Under the contract she signed, they weren't liable for any actions they did on the show, and there wasn't any proof of further harm off of it…  Maybe they got overconfident and cocky…" Jeff and Chris were silent, each lost in their own thoughts.  

            "Maybe it could've been those two or Evolution," Jeff amended.  "But there's still other people, like Paul Heyman," the name left his throat coated with venom.  "She didn't do what he wanted.  Liz kept on, whatever he did, and he wanted her to fall…" he trailed off, and Chris caught his train of thought.  _'He could've come obsessed with his goal,' _Jeff finished mentally, throat tightening at the thought of his cousin being a simple 'goal' in mind for someone; that so much pain would be inflicted on her for that reason.  

            "The police will look into it," Chris said, voice dry.  It was a feeble statement.  Neither of them had much hope in the law enforcement.  They didn't know Liz – they didn't have the insight they needed.  Chris ran a hand through his tangled hair, his insides twisted as he tried to figure out who would do such a thing.  To his horror, several names added to those they'd already mentioned.  Chris jerked his head up suddenly, a thought occurring to him.  "What if…  What if whoever did this got together with one of the others?" he said quietly, and Jeff froze beside him, silently imagining it.  __

_            'If someone like Heyman did it…  And they got together with Evolution or that asked duo…' _Jeff barely restrained the urge to throw something across the room.  _'She'd be as good as dead,' _a voice in his head finished chillingly.  He glanced up as Lita and Trish returned; their eyes downcast.  He sighed to himself.  "What can I tell her to do?" he asked quietly, jaw clenching—the only strong part of his posture.  "If she stays safe, it's almost the equivalent of being locked in a cell, and Liz would rather die than be like that.  If she stops wrestling, that's no way to be sure that they wouldn't still come after her…" 

            "She can't do anything," Chris interrupted as Jeff trailed off.  "She's a sitting duck no matter where she goes or what she does.  Whoever attacked her will find her."

            Jeff's eyes blazed suddenly, his fists clenching.  "Then God have mercy on their souls, because I won't."

            "You can't be everywhere Jeff," Chris responded, closing his eyes, hating to shut down his friend's sudden hope.  "It's all up to her.  No one else can save her."

            Chris could feel Jeff's glare even with his eyes closed.  "The way you tell it she's a dying duck with no chance except a miracle."

            Chris opened his bloodshot eyes, and said plainly, "Can you look me in the eyes and tell me that it's not that?  That she's strong enough to go through this all without anyone she can allow herself to trust or a miracle?" Jeff froze, and then sunk into his seat.

            "No."

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**Author's Note:  **A longer chapter than usual, I think.  Anyway, if anyone really cares, I still don't own anybody but the people that are made-up.  I'll try to update as much as I can before the s-word starts next week.  *cries* Vacation went way too fast!!  Well, I'm out of time.  Please review!!  


	42. Chapter XLII : Memory

**Author's Note:  **I don't own anything, characters are copyright of the WWE.  Sorry for the long delay, I was busy.  As of now, I'm suspended from posting anything because I had an entry as an author's note.  Anyway, by the time you read this, it won't really matter.  At any rate, please review!  

P.S. – Thanks for the info about their son, DI1!  :)

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**Dangerous Business**

**            Chapter XLII**

Blurry shapes registered in her mind, followed by soft voices.  She lifted her head, and immediately a fierce wave of pain burned through it.  "Liz?" the silhouette to her right leaned forward, abruptly stopping the flow of words coming from their mouth.  Liz opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out.  _'Where am I?' Liz wondered to herself quietly as her eyes started to focus.  __'Why am I here?'  "Liz, it's me, Willow," the person on her right said softly.  _

            Liz licked her lips, and then hoarsely whispered, "Will, why'd you fly way down here for this?  And what happened?  Why am I…here?"  Willow sighed quietly.  _'At least she knows that she was down here at her house and by the one Lee sold.  One fact down, a billion more to go…' _

            Willow didn't answer any of her questions.  "I was going to visit you up in Michigan—I thought you were at the house there…"

            "So you came here?" Liz's voice was barely audible.

            Willow tucked some of her deep red hair behind her ears as she paused, looking down at her hands, which were resting on top of a pair of leather pants she'd hurriedly thrown on before driving to the airport.  "I went in, and then Jeff called…  I got here as soon as I could.  Your mom should be coming anytime soon."

            "You didn't really answer my question."

            "I know," Willow responded.  She couldn't find the heart to.  "Lita and Trish were here for a little bit, so was Edge, but he left a couple minutes ago."  Liz turned her head, wincing at the pounding ache that it sparked.  She studied her friend silently.  Her red hair was a tangled mess, and there were dark lines beneath her brown eyes.  Willow had obviously dressed in a hurry—Liz knew her friend wouldn't normally be caught dead in an old, rumpled tee shirt and leather pants.  

            Liz swallowed slowly, leaning back onto her pillows, trying to recall why she was here.  _'Something bad must've happened for __Willow__ to fly down here and mention that Mom is on her way...'  "You said Trish, Lita, and Edge were here earlier?" she asked, and Willow nodded.  "Is Edge still here?" As close as she was to Willow, being with Edge almost every day had made them closer friends, and where Willow refused to say anything to her that might hurt her, even if it was simply relaying events, Edge would.  _

            Willow shrugged.  "I don't know.  I think he left to get us some lunch."

            "The way you ogle him, you'd think you would keep tabs on him."  The redhead next to her responded with an eye roll.  "Is Jeff here?"

            "Yeah, he and that Jericho character are out in the waiting room."  Liz paused before speaking.  _'_Jericho___?  Why is *he* here?'  Perhaps she'd forgiven him for what he'd done earlier—hell, it was as painful as a punch to her in the scale of things lately.  But she really didn't think that they had any sort of friendship.  _

            Liz sighed, and instead of asking about Jericho, said "Can you send Jeff in?" Willow nodded, walking out briskly.  Liz gently reached up to massage her forehead, when she felt a jerk of pain in her left shoulder.  Her eyes flew open, and she hissed through clenched teeth.  After the initial pain subsided, she warily eyed her shoulder, peeling away the hospital gown from the skin slowly.  Her skin was a mix of purple and black there, the bruise traveling to her back.  Liz let the hospital gown fall back into place and surveying her arms, spotting small bruises and cuts.  

            "Hey Sleeping Beauty," Jeff said as he stepped into the room, sitting down next to her.  "Will says you wanted me to come.  What's up?"  Liz took in a note of his bloodstained eyes and disheveled appearance; his forced cheerfulness. 

            "Tell me what happened," she demanded.  

            "You don't remember," Jeff stated quietly, eyes downcast.  "What's the last thing you do remember?"

            "I was at my house, printing out some papers from Vince," Liz paused, and then began again.  "I thought I felt something watching me, but it was nothing," she felt foolish for admitting the fact…but what if that had been something?  Her mind seemed to come into focus as she continued.  "I was out of paper…  So I headed downstairs."

            _The darkness of the basement surrounded her.  Her heels clunked down heavily on each step as she headed down them. _

"I went to turn on the light…"  

            _Her hand pressed along the walls, searching for a switch.  It brushed against something, and then a hand grabbed hers in a painful grip._

Liz jerked in her hospital bed, eyes flashing open.  She could still feel his hand clamped on hers, hot pain running through them.  Suddenly memories raced through her mind.  "Dominique…" she whispered.

            Jeff bowed his head.  "Dead."  The four letters pushed Liz into silence.  As the brunette felt tears prick at her eyes, she couldn't help but think that she was forgetting something.

            _The brunette was hunched over from the blow that came to her skull, and she was teetering on the edges of unconsciousness.  A malicious whisper reached her ears just as total blackness surrounded her._

Liz's eyes widened, and she fought the urge to move.  "Jeff!" she propped herself up on her right arm.  "He's after Rob!"

            Jeff raised his eyebrows.  "Liz, Rob is safe on a plane to RAW by now."

            If she hadn't felt that it was a waste of precious time, she would've slapped him for his stupidity.  _She was "safe" at her house too.  "Give me your phone!" Jeff hesitated, but eventually handed it over.  Liz quickly dialed Rob's number, silently praying for his voice to answer the phone._

            But it wasn't his voice that answered.  It was a voice she knew well, but could not place.  

            It was the voice of her attacker.

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

**Author's Note:  **Not much to say here, but please, please review!


	43. Chapter XLIII : Meeting

Author's Note:  Sorry about the long wait in updates!!!  I've been mega-busy lately!!  Anyway, please review!

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Dangerous Business

                Chapter XLIII

                Rob Van Dam sighed to himself, glancing around the plane, allowing himself a brief moment of peace.  No crazy fans, no pissed-off wrestlers glaring daggers…  The moment didn't last long.  He sighed, leaning back in his seat.  He was worried.  There had been no sign of Liz at the airport or on the plane, and as far as he knew, this was the only flight headed to Salt Lake City out of the airport.  _'Of course, she could've used another airport….It's not like there's only one in the entire state of __Texas__…' _he reminded himself, but still couldn't shake the bad feeling that had gripped him.  

                Something was wrong.

                She was brave; stupidly brave, he'd admit.  Even if she wasn't ready to go to Raw, she would've come…would've made a big appearance on the flight with the most wrestlers.  _'So where is she?'_

"Excuse me…can I sit here?" a voice asked politely.  Rob turned, raising his eyebrows.  He glanced at the man to his right, and did a quick-double take.

                "Yeah, you can sit here," he said quickly, frowning silently at the feeling of recognition the man had struck in him.  Rob studied the man.  He had to be somewhere near his 40s, Rob guessed.  His shoulders were broad, and even in the sharp suit he was wearing Rob could see muscle.  Sharp, piercing blue eyes stared at the front of the plane.  Rob's eyes, however, were drawn to the almost feminine color of the man's short blond hair, spiked at the front.  The man's fingers tapped against a black, sleek briefcase.  

                The man turned to face Rob.  "Sorry to bother you," he said, "But I was wondering if you knew a woman named Liz Kings."  Rob got the distinct impression that the man wasn't one to be at a loss for words. 

                "No, I don't know any Liz Kings," Rob said firmly, something about the man unsettling him.  He paused, cocking his head.  _'Liz Kings…  Could he be asking about Liz?  But…her last name is Smith…'_

As if an answer to his thoughts, the man said, "Are you sure?  Liz Kings?  Liz Smith?  Liz…Austin?"  

                "Why are you asking me this?" Rob asked carefully.

                "Because," the man turned.  "You see, I need to find Liz.  She's my stepdaughter.  We had a really big fight, and I want to try and make it up to her."

                Rob froze in his seat for a moment.  _'The blond hair…Dominique…' _he realized.  He closed his eyes for a moment, mentally trying to recall any mention of Liz's stepfather.  _'Just vague sentences…  Never a flat out truth…' _he thought, eyeing the man.  _'Mark, she called him,' _he recalled.  _'And I got the distinct feeling she hated his guts for a damn good reason…'  _"Yeah, I know Liz," he responded, unwilling to elaborate.

                "Do you know where she is?" Mark pressed.  

                "No," Rob said, surprised to find that his voice had turned almost defensive.  

                "Hey…aren't you her boyfriend?" Mark asked, the quizzical look on his face not quite reaching his eyes.  

                "Not really.  We're just friends."  At the same time, Rob had to wonder…Were they _really _friends?  He hadn't even talked to her since the incident with the Big Show and Brock…  Did she still resent him?  Hate him for doing what he did?  Rob bowed his head in silence, the questions overwhelming him.  

                "Well, if you see her, let me know, all right?" Mark said, handing over a card.  

                Rob gave a noncommittal nod, and looked at the top.  Mark Kings he read silently, staring at the bold letters for a second.  He sighed, remembering the day he'd met Dominique, and how Liz seemed rather pissed off after talking with the girl outside of the club.  He'd noticed a purple bruise on Dominique's neck…  And Liz had mentioned something about Mark.  _'Am I jumping to conclusions here?' _Rob thought.  _'Or…'  _Rob stood up, walking to the aisle quickly.  "Excuse me," he muttered, walking toward the bathrooms.  He had a bad feeling about this guy…

                Rob was still gone when a quiet ring emitted from his small carry-on bag.  Passengers shot dark looks in the direction of the noise.  Mark glanced at the carry-on, and then lifted it into his lap, quickly taking out the cell phone and answering it. 

                "Hello?"

                "Where's Rob?" Liz's voice came through the line.  Mark smiled.

                "He's…busy," he replied.  He heard the slight note of panic in Liz's voice.  She was worried about Rob…  _'How sweet…' _

"I swear to God, if you laid one finger on him, you mother—"

                "Oh, it wasn't me lying fingers on him.  I haven't done anything to him, in fact.  I took the liberty of answering his cell…  He's 'busy' with Stacy at the moment.  Want me to give him a message?"

                "Where are you?" her next words were flat.

                "Like I'm going to tell you…" 

                "You killed Dominique."

                "I didn't do the killing."  His tone implied that while he didn't kill her, he had something to do with it.

                "Who are you?"

                "You know who I am."

                "Who?"

                "Your worst nightmare."

                There was a long pause.  "Well, that's awfully cliché," Liz said.  

                Mark smiled again, his face one of cruelty.  "I bet you're panicking right now.  I mean…what would I do to Rob?  He's just a few feet away…I could do anything…"

                "You bastard," she interrupted, anger in her voice.  "You do and I'll…"

                "You'll what?  I guess I'll figure out sooner or later, because he's as good as dead."  Mark hung up the phone, twisted smiled still in face.  He was placing the cell phone back when someone walked up to him.  

                "Who were you talking to?" the man said, sitting down on the only remaining seat-the one by the aisle.  Above them, the seatbelt light flashed and the plane began its descent.  Mark turned slowly to face the man. 

                "My stepdaughter," he replied, looking at the man and sizing him up.  The man was average height, with slicked back black hair and revolting features.  He, too, was wearing a business suit, along with a cap to cover a bald spot forming on his head.

                "Liz.  You were threatening her."

                "And maybe I was," Mark replied. 

                The man extended a hand.  "Name's Paul Heyman…  I think that an alliance between us would be quite favorable." 

                "You're the one that attacked Liz," Mark said suddenly.

                Paul grinned widely.  "In a way…  I've got some ideas I think would work out…quite nicely."

                Mark grasped Paul's hand, matching his grin.  "I think we have a deal."

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Author's Note:  Kinda odd chapter, but what the heck.  Hopefully I'll get something posted soon, but I'm not really sure.  Anyway, please review!


	44. Chapter XLIV : Beginning of the End

A/N:  Okay, I'm bending time!!  It's close to WrestleMania 20 now!! 

WARNING:  Evilness galore!!!

**Dangerous Business**

**            Chapter XLIV**

            Rob Van Dam sighed to himself as he walked through the doors to the airport, taking a glance over at Mark Kings, who had taken the same path as him.  Though Mark had been nothing but nice and gracious, there was a feeling that Rob just couldn't shake about him.  He was glad that the airplane ride was finally over.  

            "Rob."  The steely voice stopped him just as he was getting into his rental car.  

            "Yea?" Rob turned and was surprised to see that it was Mark that had stopped him.  He unlocked his car and threw his luggage in as Mark approached him.  Mark grasped Rob's shoulder, turning the other man to face him.  

            His blue eyes cut through Rob like ice.  "You have to promise me something," he said firmly.  "You can't tell Liz that I was on the plane with you."

            Rob jerked his shoulder back; away from Mark's grip.  "Why?" he asked, taking a small step backward.  

            "Because…" Mark took a threatening step forward, "if you don't, I'll kill Liz."  Rob's head jerked up.  Mark smiled, seeing the younger man's body tense.  "And if you even think of turning me into the police…I'll just deny everything.  There's no proof that I said anything like this.  So I'd advise you to keep your mouth shut about me.  One word and Liz is gone.  Got it?"

            Rob couldn't manage to say anything.  He nodded and climbed into his car, quickly backing up and heading for the streets, not really caring if Mark got clipped by his mirror.  _'Damn it.  I really should've run the bastard over.' _ Rob thought, his mind still a blur.  _'Her own step-father threatening to kill her?  And not just even hurt her…' _he swallowed tightly.  There was something odd about this, besides the fact that Mark was threatening to kill her.  _'Why would he do something like that just because I told her that he was on the plane flight with me?' _Rob wondered, gripping the steering wheel tightly.  _'God…  I need to know why he'd do something like that…'_

_            '…but the only way is to tell Liz.  Then Mark would go after her…' _

Rob clenched his jaw tightly and turned down another street, no longer focusing on finding the area.  His thoughts deafened him as he drove along.  _'This is just like when Paul threatened me…'  _His knuckles turned white on the wheel.  This wasn't just injuries he was dealing with…it was her life.  For a moment, Rob recalled what Paul had done to him and Liz.  

            _'I've already made my mistake in trying to protect her from something like this,' _Rob thought, and reached for his cell phone with his right hand.  _'I can't protect her from everything.  She can handle herself…' _he tried to assure himself as he slowly dialed her cell phone number.  He didn't notice the black car swerve behind him, and didn't see the defining features of the other driver.  

            Even if he had looked back, he wouldn't have been able to see the face, for it was hidden behind a gun.  

            Rob held the phone up to his ear and waited.  Instead of the dial tone there was a sound of breaking glass—the back windshield.  Rob's head flew into the wheel, his chest collapsing against it.  Without a driver to control it, the car swerved off of the road, narrowly missing other cars as it drove off into a small ditch.  Rob was sprawled across the seats, blood pouring from a bullet wound on his head and a bruise forming on his forehead.  His cell phone lay on the floor, the ringing echoing shrilly through the car.

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            The black car continued its path, the driver pulling himself back through the window, tossing the gun under the seats.  The driver pulled his own phone to his ear, already connected.  "Paul, it's me.  I took care of Rob.  My accomplice is…allied with Shawn Michaels.  The fight between him and Edge on RAW will go a bit further than anyone planned.  You, take care of Lee.  I'm going to pay a visit to the Hurricane," he added, a sick smile scrawled across his face.  He cut the line, and then dialed another number.

            "What?" barked the voice.

            "Brock, it's me, Mark.  I'm pretty sure you've still got pent-up rage about Liz…And I want you do help me destroy her.  I want you to attack Jeff and Lita." 

            There was a deep laughter at the other end.  "It would be my pleasure."

            "Another favor, if you don't mind…"

            "No problem."

            "Drop a line by the Big Show.  Tell him that Chris Jericho has been making fun of him in the locker room," he said, smirking.  

            "I'll do that.  Good luck with Shane."  There was a click as the line hung up. 

            Mark flipped the phone shut and continued driving, silently reviewing his plans.  As he reached the arena, he glanced at one of the signs covering the doors, advertising WrestleMania XX.  "You're going down, Liz…  At the biggest show of them all for you."  He stared at the poster for a while, and then exited his car, heading toward the arena.  "Four weeks," he murmured softly, approaching the entrance, a smile on his face.  

            *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *                      *

            Rebecca Michaels shut her cell phone quickly, a new agenda on her mind.  To her husbands inquiring look, she nodded her head and said, "Work."  Shawn paused, but nodded as well, leaning back on the couch.  Rebecca sighed, and then looked at him as he began to speak.  

"I know you've said it a couple of times, that you don't want me to go back to wrestling, but I have to.  Here…you've caught me up on everything.  I don't feel like I'm missing anything here.  But…there's a whole chunk of my life that I have no clue about, just waiting, out…there…" 

            "I figured you'd say that," Rebecca said quietly, looking down at her hands.  "You still have a match scheduled for tonight, against..." her voice suddenly got small.  "Edge." 

            "Edge?" Shawn was surprised that he could remember a face.  "I know him…he's a nice guy," he commented, and then looked at his wife, frowning at the uncomfortable look on her face.  He wrapped an arm around her shoulders gently, "Rebecca?  What's wrong?" 

            "He's…" she paused, closing her eyes.  "…not such a nice guy."

            Shawn tensed up, his grip on her shoulders becoming tighter without him noticing.  "What did he do to you?" he asked; his tone sharp.  He may have known Edge as a good guy, but in the wrestling business people change to fit their momentary needs.  

            That and the fact that he didn't remember the last few years of his life.

            Rebecca continued staring at her hands.  "After you went on a tour, I went and stayed at his house for a while—you two were good friends then, and you didn't want me to be alone…" she took a shaky breath.  "He hit me." 

            "THAT BASTARD!" Shawn's voice rang out through the room as he nearly leapt off the couch, fury in his eyes.  Rebecca fought a smile, and instead looked up at him, eyes wide.  "I'll kill him," he muttered crossly, heading for the door.  

            "Shawn, don't!  He can wait 'til tonight!" Rebecca shouted after him.  The door slammed, the noise echoing through the house.  Rebecca grinned, falling onto the couch.  She knew Shawn would wait for tonight.  

            And then Edge would receive the beating of his lifetime.  


	45. Chapter XLV : Fading Away

**Dangerous Business**

**            Chapter XLV**

**                        RAW is War – 8:58 P.M**

"So the new commissioner of RAW is going to be announced tonight, huh?" the redhead asked softly.  Silence surrounded the locker room for a moment before her companion responded.

            "I guess," her companion, Liz, replied. 

            The redhead-Willow-grinned, "That's cool."  Liz looked up at her, raising her eyebrows.  Willow rolled her eyes, tossing her dark hair over her shoulder as she sat down next to Liz on a bench.  "I'm sorry; I couldn't help but get caught up with your enthusiasm."  She looked at Liz meaningfully, and then sighed, twisting her hands together.  "I talked to the doctors and investigators about Dominique.  They say that the…person…" she closed her eyes tightly and then began again.  "They say that _it _knocked the plugs of the life support out of the wall while _it _was getting ready…" she trailed off, unable to continue.  "Anyway…  The doctors…they say that Dominique didn't really have much of a chance of making it anyway.  A lot of her neural functions had shut down and if she had gotten out of the coma, her life would've probably ended up worse.  Mental retardation was the absolute least injury she would've had, but they suspected that she was slowly losing control of her body."

            "She's in a better place now, she's happier up there, _blah, blah, blah._"  Liz leaned her head back, letting a trembling sigh loose.  "I've heard it all, Willow.  It doesn't help me out down here." 

            "You'll meet up with her some time later in your life."

            Liz faced Willow, fire in her eyes.  "I'm not going to be in heaven once I carry through with what I'm planning to do to Randy Orton and Evolution." 

            Willow looked down at the floor, sighing sadly.  The loss of Dominique was horrible, but it hadn't hit her quite as hard as it had Liz, since she'd been out of contact with the entire family for years.  But still…  Even from an outsider's point of view, it was an early life extinguished for no apparent reason.  She eyed her friend, who was currently leaning against the locker, her legs curled into her chest, her chin on her knees.  Willow had been through the trying years of childhood with her…and she'd never seen Liz like this—even when Mark married her mother, even when her parents fought.  She'd seen Liz broken down…but broken down was far too much of an understatement at the moment.  Dark, purple circles cut deep into the skin under her eyes; her face was undeniably pale, and her eyes blood red.  She walked with a blank look on her face, never seeming to fully comprehend what was said; never seeming to listen.  She barely spoke, and when she did it was in a hoarse, rough voice.  Her skin was pulled taunt over her bones; Willow suspected she hadn't eaten in the last few days.  Well, anything much.  She was like a ghost; there, but, not…  "Is there something else?" Willow asked softly.  She could feel the tension nearly radiating off of her friend.

            Liz was silent for a moment, weighing Willow's words before she spoke.  "It's Rob." 

            Willow paused.  "What about him?  I thought you two weren't…"

            "We aren't," Liz replied, and then paused, looking downward once again, remembering the last she'd heard from Rob.  Those messages left on her answering machine, none replied to.  She desperately needed to talk to him about…everything.  Anything.  She wasn't quite sure, but the need was there, dwelling in the pit of her stomach.  "I called his cell phone the other day," her voice was barely above a whisper, "…and…_he _answered." 

            Willow cocked her head.  "Well, generally if you call Rob, Rob will answ—"

            "No.  The….the guy that attacked me."

            "Well, _shit._"

            "He called me some hours later…"

            "So all's well….?" Willow asked hopefully, knowing that it wasn't true. 

            "I answered…and I heard a lot of yelling…screaming," she squeezed her eyes shut.  "They were saying stuff like 'Call 9-1-1!'" she bit down on her lip, a reflex against crying that she'd developed.  "I don't know what happened.  It…It sounded like…"

            "You're guessing," Willow said, her tone harsher than she had meant it to be.  Liz flinched, and Willow paused, mentally smacking herself in the head for being so blunt.  "Did you hear anything else?"

            "No.  The phone went dead."

            "Do you have any clue where he was?"

            Liz sighed heavily.  "I was here for an hour or so before he called…so he must've just gotten off the plane the company reserved, down by the major airport."

            Willow twirled a strand of hair around her finger.  "You have to get your mind off of this so you can wrestle tonight—do you have a match?  Are you sure you _can _wrestle?" Looking at Liz, she saw her answer.  Even if her arms were tied behind her back, Willow had a feeling Liz would win a match.  Fear, worry, sadness…  It all combined in her in an unstoppable rage directed at anyone in her path.  

            "I'm going to make myself a match," Liz replied.  "And they're announcing the winner of the cage match I had with Evolution."

            Willow was taken aback at Liz's suddenly steely, taking-charge tone of voice, but shrugged it off.  If that was what Liz needed to survive through this…who was she to say anything?  "Look, I'll check with the nearby police department, hospitals, and whatnot.  I'll figure out what the deal was with Rob, all right?  Just keep focused on your match."  Liz stood and nodded, walking out of the room with a purpose to her step.  Willow looked down at her watch and realized that RAW was beginning.  Whoever the commissioner was, she pitied him/her.  He/she would have her full wrath and violence tonight.  

            Willow picked up a remote for the monitor in the locker room and flicked it on, watching the screen with interest.  Vince McMahon was out in the ring, no doubt announcing the commissioners for the two shows.  She listened intently as Vince read off the two names.  Her jaw dropped open promptly.  "_Shit_," she breathed, leaning backward as each of them came down to the ring.  "Liz, what the hell did you do to get the fates lined against you like this?" she wondered aloud.

            *                       *                       *                       *                       *                       *                       *

**Author's Note:  **Sorry about the length between updates, and sorry it's not that much of a chapter!  I've been lazy with this story, sorry!  Anyway, please review, and thanks to those who reviewed my other chapters!  

~LK08~


	46. Chapter XLVI : Suspended in Air

**Dangerous Business**

**        RAW is War**

**9:15 P.M.******

          Vincent Kennedy McMahon had many, many pet peeves, and one of them was being interrupted, especially during the middle of a huge announcement.  However, one Elizabeth Smith did not have any regard for his preferences.  After he had announced the two commissioners, and after they had their speeches on how great the shows would become, Vince had taken the microphone once again, to finish off the segment. 

          However, the blaring music of Linkin Park cut him off. 

          Liz stood at the top of the ramp, unmoving as her own pyrotechnics blasted around her.  The bright flashes reflected in her open eyes.  The normally angry and determined jade eyes were gone, replaced with something that made everyone in the ring uneasy.  No true emotion seemed to come through her; no confidence radiating from her body as it always had.  In fact, as the music stopped and she continued to stare down at him and the commissioners, Vince McMahon shrunk back. 

          It was the look of a predator's gaze on prey.

          A black microphone with the telltale WWE logo on it was clutched in her right hand as she walked slowly down to the ring.  She didn't acknowledge her fans; just kept her eyes on the three men with distaste.  When she slid into the ring, her penetrating gaze swung to Vince, ignoring the two others.  He stood with his eyes narrowed and arms crossed.

          He wasn't expecting the treatment she gave him. 

          The brunette stood; her microphone to her lips as if going to speak, giving Vince a false sense of security.  In the timeline of a second, she spun 360 degrees.  Her right leg kicked out on the turn, slamming into his hip.  The microphone in her hand impaled the side of his skull, barely missing his eye.

          The two commissioners looked equally shocked.  They both took a step back as she turned to them.  Finally, she focused on the new RAW commissioner, who eyed her back just the same. 

          Liz walked up to him, so that they were both nose to nose.  Her hand curled around the collar of his crisp shirt.  "I want a match…now," she hissed, her voice low and dangerous.

          "Get your hands off of me!  Do you even know who I am???  I'm Eric Bischoff, damn it!" the black-haired man howled.  Showing no sign of annoyance, she released him harshly, sending him stumbling back a couple steps.  Eric quickly straightened his shirt, and then glared at Liz.  Suddenly, he faced the fans.  "Do you guys want to see _Ms. Smith _in a match tonight?" he asked, his voice booming.  The fans cheered wildly, and Liz cocked an eyebrow, waiting for a response.  Eric shrugged and nodded his head.  "Well, okay then, you have a match."  She was turning to leave when he stopped her again.  "You might want to go and get a more…appropriate outfit for the match, though," he suggested, pointing toward the attire she wore for most matches.  "You see, you have yet to prove yourself to _me _on this show," he hissed.  "You're just another prissy girl…only you're not as sexy.  So tonight…  It will be Liz Smith versus Jackie Gayda," he was stopped by a shower of boos.  Liz turned and stepped up to him.  He finished with a wide smile on his face, "In a mud-wrestling match."

          Eric hit the mat faster than Vince, a la Stunner.

          The audience leapt to their feet, waiting for the beating that was sure to begin.

          It never started.

          Liz turned away from Eric's fallen body and looked at the Smackdown commissioner: the one and only Ric Flair.  A promising smile covered her face for a moment, and then she slid out of the ring, walking swiftly into the backstage area.

          Inside the ring, Ric checked on Mr. McMahon, worry ebbing at him.  Liz smiling that devious grin was troubling…  The fact that she didn't attempt to kick his ass even more troubling.  

          She was up to something…

**Author's Note:  **Sorry for so long lengths between updates!  And sorry this one was so short!  Anyway, please review!


	47. Chapter XLVII : The Eye of the Storm

**Author's Note: **Okay, so I've been a bad, bad girl.  I haven't updated this story in what, two months?  Could be worse…  Anyway, I'm thinking about going and editing all of the chapters already posted at some point in time, just so you know.  Also, I'm not promising anything, but there should be more chapters in lesser time.  I came back from a week of camping in Nowheresville, New York, and let me tell you, after a week away from my computer, I am so ready to update!!  Anyway, please review and enjoy!

**Dangerous Business**

**Chapter XLVII**

          "Hello, you've reached General Medical, my name is Clarice Millen, how may I help you?" the secretary's voice was placid and bored.  Willow gripped the phone harder in her hand, shifting on the bench in the locker room, carefully making sure that the phone book in front of her didn't fall.  General Medical was the last name on the list of hospitals within an hour's distance of the airport.

          "Hi, my name is Willow Sterling.  I need to know if you admitted a male, in his," Willow paused, and plucked a number out of her head, "30s.  Brown hair, about 6 feet tall…"

          "Mrs. Sterling-"

          "Miss, actually."

          "Well, _Miss Sterling_, I'm not sure that you know our patient confidentiality contract.  It would take hours to explain it in length.  Basically, we can't tell you who we've admitted."

          Willow rolled her eyes, biting down on her lip.  "You can't even begin to understand how important this call is!" she snapped, and then collected herself.  "My…cousin was driving to an arena in the area; he just came from the airport.  I called his cell phone at one point, and he didn't answer.  Somehow the call was answered, but no one was talking _to _me.  All I heard were people screaming 'call 911!' and whatnot," Willow felt the words roll off her tongue, the lying proving its ease with time. 

          "I suppose I could check for you," the secretary relented.  "However, we admit a lot of brown-haired men in their thirties, and the average height for a man that age is around six foot."

          Willow licked her lips.  "His name is Rob Van Dam.  You might recognize him, I don't know.  He works for the World Wrestling Entertainment Corporation."

          "Let me look at the admittance sheets," was the simple reply, and Willow heard the phone being set down.  As the redhead listened to the noises of the busy hospital, her eyes traveled to the monitor.  She froze as her eyes caught a glance of Liz standing at the top of the entrance ramp.  _'What the hell is she doing?' _Willow thought, searching for the remote to turn the volume up. 

          Before the woman could do so, however, the receiving phone was picked up.  "Miss Sterling?"

          "Yes?" Willow responded breathlessly.  She crossed her fingers in her lap.

          "We recently admitted a Rob Van Dam into our care, via ambulance."

          Willow inhaled sharply.  _Via ambulance?_  "What happened?  Is he alright?"  She could sense the secretary's hesitation, and took on a pleading tone.  "Please, ma'am, just tell me if he's alright!  I'm leaving right now to go to the hospital, but I must know if he's alright!"

          "Miss Sterling, I will tell you this one last piece of information, and then I am hanging up the phone," the secretary told her, steel in her voice.  "Your cousin, Mr. Van Dam, will be fine."  The sound of the phone clicking in her ear confirmed that.  Willow let out a long breath.  _'Thank God he's going to be okay…' _she thought with relief.  _'But…  He **is **in the hospital.  That means **someone **got to him,' _she froze.  _'Who am I kidding?  Liz basically told me!  The person who attacked Rob is the same person who stole into her house, and the same person who helped kill Dominique.'_

          Willow moved to get up, and then stopped in place, her jaw slackening slightly.  She sat back down.  _'That thing killed Dominique, and probably tried to kill Rob, but failed.  Someone told me that Shawn Michaels was in an accident and has amnesia…  Am I just trying to connect imaginary dots…or is this all part of an elaborate plan?' _

          ---               ---               ---               ---               ---

          Rebecca Michaels watched the screen on her cell phone for a moment.  She was alone in the hallway—and it was for the better.  Anyone with half of a brain would think it was odd that a camera view of Liz Smith's room was displayed on her phone.  After a moment of watching the redhead, Rebecca closed out of the screen, and dialed a number, her fingers moving quickly.

          "What?" the voice on the other end was perturbed.

          "You didn't finish Rob off," Rebecca snapped.

          There was a silence on the other end.  "I hit him.  I did, straight to the head while he was driving."

          "He's in the General Medical Hospital at the moment," Rebecca retorted.  "I was watching Liz's room, and before you rag on me, there's no one around, and no one could possibly have seen it.  But there's something you have to know besides the fact that Rob is alive and well…"

          "What is it?"

          "There's a redhead in Liz's locker room—not Lita."

          "Willow.  Liz's childhood friend," Rebecca didn't question the man's knowledge.  "Why do you mention?"

          "I think she's smartening up," she told him, and waited for the response.

          "Willow Sterling is too smart for her own good," he replied in a deep voice.  "I'll see that she gets taken care of."

          ---               ---               ---               ---               ---

          Liz ran a hand through her hair as she walked through the winding hallways of the backstage area.  Her thoughts and emotions were tangled up in knots, indecipherable to even herself.  The brunette closed her eyes lightly, feeling the tenseness of her body.  _'A mud wrestling match with Jackie Gayda…' _she repeated to herself, and then shook her head.  Liz walked to the side, out of the pathway of the bustling stagehands.  She leaned against a wall, the shadow from a security awning covering part of her face.  _'Why me?' _she wondered in the silence, trailing a finger across her lips.  _'First Paul Heyman turning Dominique and Rob against me…  And then right when everything was about to turn back to normal, these…these…**things** show up.  They killed Dominique, attacked me, attacked my father…  And if Shawn would remember the last few minutes before the car crash, if someone tampered with it, I bet that it was them that did it.' _ Liz covered her face with her hand.  _'Maybe the WWE roster would be better off if I wasn't here,' _she thought, and sighed heavily.  The urge to cry had not manifested itself.  Her stomach felt like a numbed pit, devoid of any severe emotion.

          "Liz…  Can I talk to you?" the voice came from her left, and surprised her.  She turned, and immediately, on recognition of the wrestler, her blood ran cold.  She took a threatening step forward, her eyes ablaze.  He shrunk back.  "Listen, Liz, I have to talk to you…  Just hear me out, and then you can beat the shit out of me!"

          The brunette paused, her fists curling and uncurling as she debated.  After a moment, she took a small step back.  "Say what you want to say now, and here," she kept her fighting stance.  He didn't say a word.  "Orton, say what you want to say.  I'm not waiting all day for you, and the urge to kick your ass will only be sustained for about…3 minutes," she snapped.

          "Okay, okay," Randy replied, his face earnest.  Liz studied him closely.  Were those circles under his eyes?  _'Backstabbing Evolution not helping your beauty sleep?' _she thought snidely.  "Please don't kill me," he added quickly.

          Liz cocked an eyebrow.  "Oh, but I thought you said I could?"

          "Just hear me out before you do!" he protested, and then put his arms down by his sides.  "I need to talk to Dominique's doctor."

          Liz frowned, thoroughly confused.  "Why?" she replied.

          "Because…  I'm almost positive Dominique was pregnant when she died…pregnant with my baby."

**Author's Note: **I hoped you like!  Please, please review!  on hands and knees


	48. Chapter XLVIII : Floating

**Dangerous Business**

**XLVIII**

Liz froze in motion, and suddenly her eyes narrowed.  "What the hell are you talking about, Orton?" she snapped.

            Randy ran a hand over his hair.  "Dominique and I—"

            "Dominique has the sense not to deal with you!" Liz snarled, and then paused, her body stiffening.  All emotion suddenly dropped from her voice, she corrected herself, "Had.  She had the sense not to…"

            "You said you'd hear me out," Randy reminded her.  "So please, just listen," his tone was pleading.  "Dominique and I, we were together," he spoke slowly.  "I know it sounds unlikely, but it just…happened," he bowed his head, nibbling on his lip.  "I was the one that suggested we keep it under wraps.  I thought that if Evolution knew, they'd make me turn against her…" he sighed softly, "They made me anyway."

            "How long?" Liz asked finally.  "How long were you together?"  Looking into his eyes and watching the expression on his face, she knew he wasn't lying.

            Randy shrugged half-heartedly.  "I don't know…  A little after she was forced into the deal with Paul, because I remember talking to her about it…" he trailed off and shook his head.  "Look, Liz, I don't know if you'll ever truly believe me, but I loved Dominique."  The brunette looked at him warily, silently assessing the pain evident in his blue eyes.  "It makes me sick to think…" he looked away, his throat tightening.

            "You say you loved her," Liz said, stepping closer.  "But you put her in a coma," she was not going to make the blows softer for him.

            Randy shook his head determinedly.  "I knew Evolution wanted payback on you, and that she was the perfect target…  I tried to warn her, but she said that if it was, for me to just play along," he met her eyes again.  "I think Hunter figured it out," he told her, his voice dry.  "He gave me that pipe and told me to hit Dominique with it…" his face creased with personal agony for a moment, and then he continued, "I did it, for some ungodly reason…  I tried not to hit her too hard…  God, I tried…  We brought her back to the hotel room.  She was unconscious for a long time, or just pretending…  Anyway, when Evolution went to bed, I iced her head and put some bandages on her head.  She woke up a few hours into the night, and we talked.  I decided to leave Evolution," he pursed his lips, his eyes burning.  "We both went to sleep in the same bed.  I woke up, and she wasn't there.  I went into Hunter's room—it was adjoined to mine—and saw him carrying her out," his hand shook.  "She was a mess…Blood everywhere…"

            Liz looked away from Randy, gritting her teeth.  _'Don't keep going.  I don't want to relive it again…  Just, stop…' _she thought, her fists clenching.

            "Before it happened, Dominique had been awfully quiet," Randy said softly after a few moments.  "I found an EPA in the trash, and it was positive…  I was waiting for her to declare a right moment…" he furiously blinked the tears in his eyes away.  "She never had the time."  There was a long silence between them, Liz trying to digest the information that he had given her.  "I need to know if she was pregnant, Elizabeth," Randy replied, his eyes earnest.  "I _need _to."

            "The doctor would've told us if he had found something," Liz told him, her voice raw.  She wasn't sure what to make of this, but somehow, she believed it.  "The police department claimed her body to study it.  They're scheduled to return her body this weekend.  We could order an autopsy to find out."  Liz shook her head, and realized that her hands were shaking.  Everything seemed to be taking its toll on her now, her own attack in the supposed safety of her house, Dominique's death, her father's attack, and now this.  The brunette closed her eyes for a brief moment, and then opened them.  "Look, Randy, I just can't deal with all of this right now.  Talk to Jeff about it, he has all of the information.  I have a match coming up and I just…" she trailed off, pushing from the wall.  "I have to get dressed," she said suddenly, cutting off her other incomplete sentence.

            The brunette left Randy standing there, her feet leading her to the women's locker room.  Her head was throbbing, and she wanted nothing more than to retreat to her hotel room and soak in a nice, big bubble bath.  Relaxation was something she hadn't relished in what seemed like forever.

            "Rob!" the word blurted from her mouth as her memory flashed.  _'Oh my God!__  I totally forgot!' _ She raced toward the locker room where Willow had no doubt found out what had happened to him.  Liz nearly threw the door open, and froze when she saw the look on Willow's face.

            Willow looked up at Liz as she burst into the room, and pursed her lips together.  Her face was a mixture of relief mixed with concern.  If the same people were truly to blame for everything that had happened remotely considering Liz, then it spelled out big trouble, not only for Liz but for anyone she came into contact with.  Willow blew out a stream of air.  There was only one thing for certain:

            Liz was _not _going to like this.

            ---        ---        ---        ----       ---        ---        ---        ---        ---        ---

**Author's Note: **Hey everybody!  A quick, short update before I leave for a week on vacation!  Please review!


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